Of Love and Magic
by squeakyducks
Summary: Santana and Brittany are just two people in this big world full of magic who have found love in each other. They love each other, but they don't know, not yet. However, one day, the tiny town of Lima which they live in, gets raided by magicians who have gone rouge and Santana gets abducted. Will they find each other again? Will Brittany live to find Santana?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **I will first start off with a warning that it's my first fic and all.

If you don't like how i incorporated magic into the already magical love story of Brittany and Santana then i am so very sorry. i did this in a rush and ask of you to forgive my mistakes ):

**Description: **Santana and Brittany are just two people in this big world full of magic who have found love in each other. They love each other, but they don't know, not yet. However, one day, the tiny town of Lima which they live in, gets raided by magicians who have gone rouge and Santana gets abducted. Will they find each other again? Will Brittany live to find Santana?

**Disclaimer:** there's nothing here i own (:

* * *

"Mommy! I'm going to see if I can catch Mr Tanaka!," Santana shouted over her shoulder to her mother. Her excited hands were fiddling frantically with her sandals, eagerly trying to put it on as quickly as she possibly could.

"and I'll get fruits and some vegetables as well!" she added as an after thought, buying extra time.

"okay honey! Remember to be careful!" her mother shouted back from the kitchen.

Santana sighed at her caution.

A few months ago, neither Santana nor anyone in the magical little town of Lima would have to be careful. The recent unusual increase of hoodlums in the tiny town was frightening.

Murderers, Rapists, Burglars, you name it and they've had it. It had gotten so bad that the tiny, usually redundant, local police force had to pull able bodied man from random households to add to their useless troop.

Under the cruel hands of fate, Santana's father had to be chosen.

It was a silent night that the Lopez family spent huddled closely around the miserable fire place. No one dared to squeak a word for it was clear that everyone was on the verge of tears from the fear of the unpredictable future.

The wait for Martinez Lopez to return home every night was pure agony for the two woman, but it wasn't as agonising for Santana as it was for Maria Lopez. Santana had a simple routine everyday that kept her distracted and hopeful.

Just the thought of what laid ahead of her today, albeit it was almost the same as every weekend before, made her hands tingle with excitement and heart soar with unperturbed happiness.

A smile crept up to her face.

"alright!" she shouted back to her mother after giving her shoelace, that had been tied neatly into a ribbon, one final tug to make sure it was tight and wouldn't fall out.

"I'm leaving now!" Santana announced and stood up. She swept away any specks of dust that might have settled on her white dress, grabbed the old wooden basket by her side and sped out the wooden door of her blue cottage.

* * *

The weather was amazing and peaceful, as it had always been. It was hard to imagine how anyone could harbor any ill intentions towards this town, much less defile it by putting these ill intentions to motion.

Inhaling deeply and thrusting her head back to face the boundless bright blue canvas of the sky, she extended her arms freely to the her sides and closed her eyes. The familiar smell of flora and fauna wafted into her nose and she held her breath.

If the town, although as peaceful as it may seem, was going to be brought down into ashes just as her father had said then she wanted to capture this smell and keep it locked up in her brain as memory for when it was as peaceful as this.

She made her way down the cobbled pathway that led straight to the market, looking left and right, soaking in her surroundings.

The Evans have done a good job.

If Lima was going to go down in flames, just as her father had said, then she'd want to remember the sight of the myriad of bizzare flowers that seemed to bloom solely of Lima huddled close together in a long stretch of shrubs, seeming to go on for infinity.

For if Lima were to be burned down into ashes just like her father had said, then she'd want to remember it exactly as it was right now.

* * *

"Hey ya gal! Ya better hurry! The tides are getting stronger and stronger and my crew have to go so there'll be fish for you and your mother tomorrow!" Mr Tanaka shouted from his portable cart, drawing her attention away from the magnificent and enormous clock that was built as an extention of the equally magnificent house of the mayor's.

She skipped gaily towards the cart, swinging her basket that was now filled with fruits and vegetables.

"just the usual Mr Tanaka!" she said with a wide smile.

He grabbed a fish from the pile at the middle of his cart. Santana made sure to notice how dry and stale the fish looked, because the next part was, in her opinion, what made the insipid act of shopping for fish so interesting.

Mr Tanaka simply ran his hand down the length of the fish, his brown eyes twinkling as he does so and the fish was moistened, looking as fresh one still swimming in the sea. Santana never fails to get fascinated by it.

Brown pieces of paper were used to wrap the fish and squid separately before a bigger piece of white paper wrapped the separate brown bundles together, keeping the magical moisture in.  
He slid the bundle towards her as she slid the copper coins towards him, it was a familiar, routinely trade.

"thanks", She sent him a grateful smile and skipped off.

But she doesnt go back down the old cobbled path back to her blue cottage like she said she would, she skipped down the market at a completely different direction from home and stealthily slipped into an alleyway inbetween a yellow barber shop and blue shoe shop, a self made duck soft toy tucked under her arm.

The alleyway was a tiny space between the two shophouses thus anyone who used it had to squeeze themselves in sideways. Santana had to bring her basket of groceries an arm above her head where the shophouses would dent in as part of it's design.

The destination wasnt far after she emerges from the alleyway.  
Just a right turn into some shrubs, simply wriggle your way through them and then you'll appear at an opening.

* * *

The opening was akin to a tiny garden, hidden away by the trees and bushes. The surrounding thick fauna blocked away the hustle and bustle of the town.

It was peaceful and beautiful.

She poked her head out of the thick overgrown shrubs and scanned the opening for her.

Spotting her would never prove to be a difficult feat for Santana's eye. It wasn't because the opening was small but it was simply because Santana's eyes always seemed to be able to find her in an instant, as if it was constantly on a look out for her.

As usual, Brittany sparkled like a fairy.

Santana watched, riveted, as Brittany's sparkling blonde hair flowed gracefully under the gentle harassment of the wind while she twirled around and around clad in her usual guise of a poor boy in common brown slacks held up by a simple leather belt with a pocketed old army shirt tucked into it. Brittany was completely lost in innocent bliss, oblivious to Santana arrival and the evil that was slowly plaguing the world.

She certainly was a spectacle to behold.

* * *

"Britt Britt!"

Santana ran towards her after setting down the basket of groceries and placed her hands behind her back, hiding the surprise she had prepared for her.

When she didn't stop, Santana stuffed the duck into the extra cloth tied around her waist and grabbed hold of her hands.

As usual, their body reacted pleasantly upon contact. Santana wasn't sure if it was simply Brittany in all her glory that sent her body into a tingling mess, or if the blondes hands were just so warm and soft that it made her body buzz with wonderment. Either way though, Brittany's hands were a delight to hold and Santana knew she'd hold on to it, as tight as she could, as long as she could.

She stilled her twirling the moment she felt warm hands around hers and she let her eyes settle onto brown ones.

Sky blue eyes sparkled and twinkled with a child like beauty that only Brittany ever possessed and it made Santana's insides flip and flop.  
An unconscious smile tugged at both their faces.

Slowly, Santana slid her hands from where they were gripping Brittany's wrist, to her hand, then twisted them in a practiced motion and slowly interlaced their fingers, shuddering when the sensitive skin in between their fingers grazed along the way.

Brittany looked down at where caramel skin and pale skin merged perfectly, too perfectly, and smiled at how the hands fitted just as perfectly as it looked.

Brittany looked back at Santana with that sparkle in her eye that only ever appeared at the sight of a certain pair of chocolate brown orbs and smiled shyly, cheeks tainted a slight pink.

Santana's smile emboldened at Brittany's display of bashfulness upon her appearance.

She was as delighted to see her as she was to see the blonde.

They spent several serene moments simply taking in the features of the other and searing it into their minds. It was how simply how every one of their meetings started.

Santana was the first to break out of their trance because she knew that if Brittany allowed, she'd be able to stare straight into those inimitable cobalt eyes till kingdom comes.

"I've got something for you" Santana smiled slyly, squeezing their interlaced hands and tugging Brittany backwards along with her.

"Really?" the blonde asked with enthusiasm. Her eyes were wide and her lips were set in a one sided smile where her teeth were slightly apart.

Santana couldn't help but find the blonde immensely adorable at this point, if she could only capture Brittany's expression and paste it up upon her wall where she could wake up to it every day.

"Mmmhmmm!" Santana hummed, nodding her head and slipping her hand out of Brittany's as she backed away, smirk widening.

The girl whimpered immediately, longing for that warmth and affection the hand gave her.

Brittany took a long stride towards the playful Santana with her face pulled into an expression of impatience.

"Come on San~, just give it to me already!" Brittany whined, extending an arm out towards Santana.

"not until you guess what it is" Santana sing songed, continuing to taunt the girl although she knew full well that she'd be forced to give in soon because Brittany's next move would be the trick card; a pout.

True enough, Brittany jutted her pink bottom lip out in a cute pout and instantly, Santana's resolve diminished and dissipated into the air.

"That's no fair Britt..." Santana whined, not missing the devilish smile on Brittany's triumphant face when she tugged the duck out of its place where she had stuffed in the cloth at her back.

"Here" Santana said softly and held the duck that was sewed out of her old clothes and stuffed with a bit of pillow stuffing. She had spent copious amounts of time sewing it and small amounts of blood were inevitably shed during the process of making the duck, but all was worth it for Brittany.

"It's a really ugly duck San." Brittany remarked with a big bright smile splayed across her affection filled face, contradicting her comment completely.

Brittany took a big step towards the shy Latina and pulled her into a hug, trapping Santana's one hand in-between their two bodies, clutching the duck.

Santana let her body meld into Brittany's and burrowed her face into the crook of Brittany's neck, taking in the scent that was so very Brittany.  
"Honey," Santana thought "and floral scented powder."

"I made it myself Britt..." she whispered, her hot breath tickling the sensitive skin at Brittany's neck.  
A shudder rode through the blonde's body at the sensation.

"I know San," Brittany replied softly, chest overflowing with affection "Thank you so much. It's the most beautiful thing in the world."  
Her melodious voice was heard crisp and clear by Santana's left ear before she turned and pressed a kiss to the side of the Latina's head, pulling their bodies impossibly closer.

"I thought you said that it was ugly?" Santana craned her neck back, lips twisted into a mocking purse. She had her arms rested around Brittany's small waist and locked together with interlaced fingers at her back.

Brittany squinted and darted her eyes around jocularly, searching the sky for a comeback. Santana had a small smile on her face as her eyes ran across the face of Brittany's over and over and over again, remembering every freckle, every dip every crinkle and every glint.

When her eyes met the boundless cobalt eyes again, she noticed it was dulled into a depressing grey. Santana's brows furrowed worriedly at disapproval towards the dolefulness in her favourite cobalt coloured eyes but her brows quickly turned the other way around when she discovered the reason for the dulling in those lovely eyes.

A cold gust of strong wind hit the warm bodies and bit into their bones, alerting Santana to the fact that the wind was already picking up, signalling the impending setting of the sun, which also meant that they didn't have much time left to spend with each other.

Santana sighed when Brittany's eyes darted down to the stuffed duck dejectedly.

Good things always come to an end. Santana thought sadly.  
Since that was the case, then she wanted to keep Brittany as happy as she could, for as long as she could.  
She brought her hands up to cup the blonde's face and grazed her thumbs lightly across the freckles sprinkling creamy defined cheekbones and urging blue eyes to meet hers.

Forcing a smile when they did.

"Come on, let's go sit down," she soothed not halting the movement of her thumbs, "I brought..."

"Oranges and potatoes?!" Brittany exclaimed excitedly, grey eyes quickly filling with colour again. The skin of her cheeks stretching against the pad of Santana's thumbs as her face spread into a smile.

"There it is" thought the Latina.

She grabbed the duck out of Santana's hands, skipped towards the wooden basket and flopped down on the grass beside it.

Santana never understood why Brittany liked the odd combination of the vastly different tastes but Brittany had always been special like that.

"Yes Brittany, oranges and potatoes" Santana giggled, shaking her head.

"Here", Santana handed her the whole piece of orange after peeling the skin out, proceeding to pull out one of the two handy knives she kept in her ankle high socks to skin the potatoes next.

After Santana's father had joined the local police force, he had given her two handy knives, both with her name engraved on it with his beautiful cursive handwriting. He even taught her how to defend herself with it, saying that she would definitely need the skill some time.

Brittany took the orange from Santana's hand and smiled at her knowingly,  
"Thanks San, you know me best,"

She took a huge bite of the orange and turned to face Santana. The tell tale sign of a deep breath and halted chewing alerted Santana that she was about to explain her unusual eating habits, again. Santana understood why she always does so; because she appreciates that Santana knows her as well as she does, because she wants Santana to know her as well as she does.

"you like eating oranges the way you do because you don't like separating those individual pieces of oranges from each other yes?," Santana sent a smug side glance towards Brittany.

Her face lit up and her head bobbed up and down frantically. "if they have to die, which they do because they're so delicious, then they shouldn't have to die alone."  
Santana's smile was curious when she looked at Brittany. How could someone ever be so nice?

"You have one too" she ordered and poked an orange in the basket, not bothering to hide her disgraceful eating habits as the orange bolus peeked out from inside Brittany's mouth.

"I can't Britt, too many lost oranges would be too suspicious"

She stopped chomping her orange and stared at Santana with a pout, blonde brows meeting in the middle.

Santana chuckled, sliced a tiny piece of potato skilfully with the blade of her knife and handed it to her,  
"have your potato"

* * *

After she was finished with her potato and orange, Santana covered the basket with a red cloth and pushed it to the side so that they could lay unhindered on the grass and admire the sky.

"I wish we could stay like this forever Sanny Bananny" she sighed contentedly as she crossed her arms beneath her head to prop it up.

Santana turned her head to face her with a brow raised, "did you just name me after a banana?"

She let out a giggled and turned her head to look at Santana, "S'cute." she shrugged.

"Your idea of cute is bonkers." Santana sighed shaking her head, "You think your cat is cute, which it's not, because I don't even think it's a cat, you think ducks are cuter than dogs although that's quite the opposite and.."

"And I think you're cute" she interjected the ranting Latina off and poked her cheek. Heat ignited from the point of contact and spread like wild fire until her face was completely encapsulated in heat.

Brittany's playful toothy grin transformed into a simple lopsided smile as she admired her Latina best-friend. She loved the way Santana's hair cascaded down her shoulders in beautiful waves.

"told you your idea of cute was bonkers.." the Latina mumbled shyly as she turned her head away from blue eyes back to the sky. The sky and the sun paled greatly compared to Brittany.

"What did you say?" Brittany asked. The slyness in her tone told Santana that she was heard loud and clear.

"nuhhhh-tinggg" Santana sing songed, rolling her head from side to side and playing along with Brittany.

Brittany pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth in concentration as she pushed herself stealthily up into a crouch, "you sure?"

"mmhmm"

In a flash, she lunged and straddled the Latina's hips.

Santana body stiffened in flabbergast from both the sudden weight and the shocking agility of Brittany.

"Britt what are you-"  
Santana trailed away when she saw the familiar glint in cobalt eyes, hers widened in recognition and horror

"no Brittany Susanna Pierce, No" she said firmly, holding a finger out to warn the blonde.

Brittany pretended to be discouraged. "No?" she asked softly, looking down at Santana with wide puppy eyes.

Santana's brows curved up and a small smile started to tug at her lips, insides already melting from Brittany's cuteness overload, then, she realised what Brittany was doing; Taking advantage of how Santana caved oh-so-easily with the simple protrusion of her lower lip.

"No." Santana said again, more firmly this time, quickly transforming her expression, crossing her arms across her chest and looking away from the blonde's adorable expression. She knew she'd cave and allow Brittany to do anything in the world if she stared at it any longer.

"Fine, if you say so." Brittany pretended to sigh despondently before poking and prodding Santana's sides mercilessly and abruptly, enjoying the sight of the Latina squirming and writhing under her weight

"p..please... Britt!," Santana pleaded between her uncontrolled spasms of laughter.

"You said nope!" Brittany countered with a laugh.

"I...I'll do anything! I'll even let you call me a banana"

Santana's previous declarations seemed to please her captor, but Brittany still had that devious glint in her darkening blue eyes.

"You'll do anything?" she looked down at Santana with an expression the Latina had never witnessed before swimming in those cobalt blue eyes she admired so much.

"as long as you don't tickle me anymore, anything" Santana nodded breathlessly still trying to catch her breath.

Blue eyes seemed to get bigger and bigger, burning into chocolate brown orbs with increasing intensity as she edged her face closer to the one underneath her.

"Anything?" Brittany whispered eyes darting to Santana's lips with a mixture of lust and curiosity, sending hot breaths of wet air against plump lips.  
The weight against Santana's hips increased as her captor inched forward, pressing into a place and sending a humongous wave of tingles from her crotch to all parts of her body, until a shudder broke through. Santana clasped her thighs together, hoping to quell the heat.

Brown eyes were filled with a mixture of fear and anticipation as the new and unfamiliar feeling started to envelop her body.

"Y...yes" she stuttered, shocked by how much the sky blue eyes were darkening.

"Then you wouldn't mind me doing this..." one last hot breath engulfed her face before Brittany had lowered herself completely and brought her lips to the unassuming hostage. It came as a shock at first when soft lips pressed against Santana's and her eyes widened considerably from the odd sensation.

Santana's initial thought was about how unhygienic this was, pressing their mouths where food was placed into together.

But then, Brittany's lips were just so, so soft; just like her eyes, and their steady movements against hers were incredibly convincing.

Santana's shocked eyes flitted close and her mind went blank as she started to move her lips against Brittany's

Brittany's lips spread into a smile when she felt plump lips finally moving against hers, albeit hesitantly.

Their lips moved in tandem, massaging and pushing, gliding and popping. Brittany couldn't help but feel that the way their lips were gliding against each other was akin to a simple dance, those dances at the opulent balls her parents loved to host.

Brittany had always loved dancing, she loved how the partners involved in the dance always seemed to know where to step, when to turn and where to hold, as if their bodies were having a conversation of its own.

Kissing was much like that; exactly like that actually.

And Brittany had decided, kissing Santana had just officially become Brittany's favouritest dance, ever.

Santana didn't know what they were doing, much less what to do, but she simply allowed her body to react according to Brittany's. Just as it always had been.

Most things between Santana and Brittany had been matters of the heart instead that of the mind.  
When they were together, there wasn't a need to think too much, their bodies simply reacted according to the other.

Brittany and Santana never knew the peculiar action of attaching their lips together would be so incredibly intoxicating and addictive.

Neither of them wanted to ever stop.

However, Brittany felt the need to explain the significance behind her actions.

"this is called kissing" Brittany offered when she pulled her lips away from Santana's abruptly, lips stretching a little from sticking together by the mixture of saliva.

A throaty groan sounded from Santana, displaying the dissatisfaction she felt from the lost of contact. she hadn't wanted to stop yet.

Brittany didn't go very far away, though, she allowed her face to hover just inches away from Santana's, allowing the sweet breath of the breathless Santana engulf her face.

"Mother used to say kissing is an act of showing affection" Brittany continued to explain, moving her hand up to brush a stray lock of hair away from hindering her view of Santana's face

"and we should perform it only with those we care deeply about."

Santana listened and nodded but kept her eyes locked on Brittany's previously pink lips that were now slightly swollen and tainted a much darker pink.

Santana wanted to kiss those soft lips again.

"Losing your first kiss is important too! The first person you kiss is a person you'll remember all your life. I want to remember you all my life and I care about you plenty. So I decided to kiss you first."

This caught Santana's attention, her eyes darted up to meet Brittany's that were staring off ahead of her.

"First?" The Latina questioned with deeply furrowed brows.

Cobalt eyes moved down to look at Santana quizzically for a brief second, "yeah, first" before jumping back up to look ahead again, "I have so many people I care about. There's Sam, Tina, Puck..."

Santana's lips curled further and further into a snarl at every name mentioned, just the thought of Brittany sharing such an intimate moment with anyone other than her had her blood boiling.

"no" she ordered, voice low with authority.

Brittany could feel Santana's eyes burning the flesh at the skin under her chin forcing her to look back down at Santana.

Immediately, she was taken aback by the intensity and fire burning behind the warm brown eyes, now turning into a red. Santana had always been a little possessive, but she didn't mind it this time. It made her feel all tingly inside, like a thousand butterflies had just hatched from it's cocoon in her tummy.

Warm hands snaked to the back of Brittany's head before she could even respond, gentle fingers weaved through her soft blonde locks and she was tugged down to meet Santana's lips again.

"Mine" Santana growled against Brittany's lips, before sticking a tongue out to gently graze upon the pink lips.

It was a little rough, though very soft and utterly drenched when it brushed against the tip of Brittany's sensitive lips. Although it was but for a fleeting moment, to Brittany, it felt like slow motion. A slow motion movement that sent, not one jolt but multiple jolts of electricity from the point of contact straight down to her crotch, before combusting into a thousand fireworks.

The action was universally known, or in Santana-Brittany's universe was it universally known that when you lick something, it's automatically claimed as yours and only yours. They've been doing this since they were much younger, licking the food they didn't want to share, licking the toys they wanted for themselves. It wasn't until a few years back that Brittany realised that Santana rarely ever licked anything, Brittany was always the one claiming things for herself. Santana always gave Brittany anything and everything she wanted. The only thing Santana never wanted to share, was her.

So it wasn't exactly shocking when Santana daringly stuck her hot tongue out to lick her lips, although that didn't stop Brittany from pulling back abruptly.

She pulled back abruptly, not to petulantly declare that Santana couldn't just claim her lips, because, well, Brittany would let Santana have her lips in a heartbeat, Brittany pulled back because of the sudden tightening at the pit of her stomach and considerable heightening of her senses.

Santana's every touch begun to burn.

Brittany wonders if Santana's coating the surface of her hand with heat again. Just like the time when she lost her long coat in the winter night and Santana helped warm her up.

But then she thought, probably not.

This felt, different.

Clueless to the inner turmoil, Santana snapped out of her possessive haze.

"w-what? Did I hurt you? I'm so sorry!" Santana apologised frantically to the dazed blonde and sat up to examine the wound she seemingly caused, hands hovering over the blonde's face, too afraid to touch it in fear of hurting her further.

She ran her eye along the contours of Brittany's face, finding no trace of any cuts or bruises that might have caused Brittany to pull away abruptly. Brittany's face was flawless as usual, so what was the problem? was it something she did wrong?

All Brittany was doing was staring intently at her, or into her, with those shiny blue eyes and Santana was starting to feel extremely self conscious under the intense gaze of Brittany's darkened cobalt orbs.

"Britt why are you staring at me like that?" she whispered, darting her eyes down to look at nothing in particular, as her cheeks tainted a little.

Brittany licked her lips, slowly running her taste buds against her lips, savouring a foreign yet incredibly intoxicating taste she could only describe as Santana.

Brittany wanted more. She needed to taste it again.

"mmm" was all Brittany offered to Santana's question before she pinched the girl's chin inbetween her thumb and forefinger and applied pressure onto her thumb, pushing Santana's lower jaw down.

By now, Santana's heart was thumping frantically in her chest as her eyes darted from one blue eye to the other, searching them. She didn't know what Brittany was doing nor has she ever seen Brittany stare at her with such hunger in those cobalt eyes. But she liked it. She was absolutely basking in the way Brittany was looking at her now.

Before any more protests could be made, Brittany brought her mouth to the confused and unassuming Latina's and wiggled her tongue into the girl's mouth.

A gruff, low sound emitted from the pit of her throat when her tongue touched the wet and hot yet soft surface of Santana's tongue, filling her with the taste she was quickly getting addicted to.

Santana was flabbergasted at first when Brittany enveloped her mouth with hers and invaded her mouth with her tongue, but then, she got a taste of Brittany when their tongues touched and all she could think of was tasting that for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday.

Brittany tasted, so, good.

The strange sweetness that was just so undeniably Brittany.

From the moment she tasted it, she knew it's be etched in her mind forever, urging her to ask for it over and over and over again.

Santana tilted her head and placed her palms against the grass behind her, pushing herself forward as she tried to get deeper into Brittany's mouth, hungering for more of that sweetness.

They ran their tongues against the others and traced the inside of each other's mouths eagerly and relentlessly, teeth knocking, heads rocking back and forth from the fight for dominance and saliva dripping to their chin.

It was a slow, extremely wet and incredibly sensual kiss they shared, exploring and familiarising themselves with their partner's mouth. Hands wandering and exploring every inch of the other's body.  
Both Brittany and Santana couldn't get enough of each other.

Time, rusting of trees, singing of the crickets seemed to stop, the world, seemed to pause for the two as they invested all their hearts and senses into the kiss. Many years of unsung affections all pouring into each other's mouths. Sounds of endearment and ardor were exchanged in the form of grunts and moans.

It could go on forever.

(or not)

The anomalous sound of rustling leaves cut through the air and broke Santana's trance, causing her to be the first to break away and cautiously scan their opening for an intruder. If they were caught together they could be in grave trouble, much more if they were caught doing whatever they were doing.

She realised that the trees, shrubs and even the grass were swaying towards the left as if they were in a dream like trance. The wind was definitely acting abnormally.

Her father had taught her that the wind was an element of indications, be it impending danger or imminent peace.

In the presence of danger, fire would crackle and flicker because the air of omniousity is disruptive and chaotic, if what was impending was peace, the fire would be steadfast and remain a steady, strong ember.

Santana sticks out a clenched fist into the air and rubbed the tip of her thumb against the inside of her bent forefinger. Her left hand gripped the material of the back of Brittany's old army shirt, just to make sure Brittany doesn't get taken away from her.

Santana would never let Brittany be taken away from her.

Orange and yellow sparks splinter from the tip of Santana's thumb before an ember ignited from them.  
The ember had a blend of three distinctly different colours, burning a yellow at the middle, slowly growing into a deep orange before it blooms out into a dark red. Santana's fire had always been this way-with that extra touch of red at it's fraying edges.

She watched intently with glowing brown eyes at the tiny ember burning at the tip of her thumb that was stuck up the sky.

The ember flickers slightly for a second before finally coming to a still and burning with fervour at a fixed position. Santana lets out a heavy breath she didn't know she was holding.

No indications of aggression.

Yet.

Before Santana could lower her heightened guard again and refocus her attention on the blonde, the colours of the ember starts to get hazy, mixing together before blending into a swirl of crimson red flame then dissipating into the air in the form of grey smoke.

That wasn't a sign of anything she'd ever been warned about. She has never seen this before.

Panic started to fill every ounce of her body as her eyes darted around frantically, searching and searching for an answer, for an indication, anything. Anything to tell her what's going on. Anything to tell her that she'll be fine, that Brittany isn't in danger.

Then, her glowing brown eyes glazed over shiny water-like gems. Intense blue, glimmering and shimmering like sapphires under the scorching sunlight.

Brittany's eyes were glowing.

Glowing in the way her father's does when he's starting up the fire in the fire place, glowing in the way Mr Evan's does when he's caring for the beautiful flowers in the garden and glowing in the way Mr Tanaka's did when he ran his hand over the dried fish and brought life to it's stale body.

The abnormal attitude of the wind that was causing the entire opening to shift under it's immense power was all Brittany.

Brittany's face was unmoving as a blue light swam back and forth in her already cobalt eyes that was staring at Santana with a mixture of curiosity, hunger, contemplation and not to mention immense power.

"B-Britt?" Santana breathed after the moment of revelation passed and curiosity started to settle in.

There were so many questions she wanted to ask.

How could Brittany not have told her she could handle the wind? Wind handlers were sparse in Lima, surely someone would've known and in the case of Brittany, that would surely have been Santana.  
So how was it that she hadn't known?  
However, the most pressing question of all was; why was Brittany acting this way?

Santana's brain churned and turned itself inside out, searching frantically for a feasible conclusion as Brittany remained motionless, pestering their peaceful opening unconsciously.

"Brittany?" Santana ducked her head, hoping Brittany's eyes would move and halt her trance.

To no avail. Brittany was limp on her lap.

Santana started to get worried. Why wasn't Brittany responding? Was something wrong?

* * *

Brittany's mind was a blank.

Blank, except for the burning of the insides of her thighs where Santana's hands had unconsciously wandered to during their heated kissing session. All she could feel was the tickle of Santana's thumbs dangerously close to the place she wanted it at most. Brittany wanted to snap back to reality and get back to her private dance with Santana, but she couldn't. She couldn't move because of the overwhelming throbbing and uneasiness at the most inappropriate area.

It had been awhile since she had started feeling this way. Ever since Santana's 14th birthday.

* * *

Santana didn't know what to do, so she simply ran her hands up the length of Brittany's surprisingly toned legs, dragging them up until they were caressing the blonde's creamy cheeks and then her thumbs instinctively started their soothing routine of brushing over freckled cheekbones with a practised rhythm.

Patiently, back... And forth... Back... And forth.

She knew it was working when Brittany's eyes started to regain it's natural twinkle and the unnatural glowing of her eyes started to disappear, when the trees and bushes begun to placidly sway back and forth with calm the evening wind. And she knew it worked when Brittany's cobalt eyes rolled back to look at her.

Santana supplied a small smile and cocked her head to the right a little as if to say, "welcome back"

Brittany's face automatically morphed into a lop-sided smile, cobalt eyes twinkling more than usual as she wondered why Santana was watching her so adorably. Has Santana always been so adorable? Oh, who was she kidding, of course Santana had always been this adorable. There was this one time when they were but 7 years old, Santana stole a duck from...

Then it dawned on her why Santana was looking at her like that. She'd done it again, she'd spaced out and done that... That thing that destroyed everything around her.

Her step mother had called her an abomination that one time she did it. An abomination. A monstrosity. She didn't know exactly the definition of either words, but she'd heard Old Freddo, the beggar down the street, mention that dragons were a monstrosity; it didn't take much for her to put two and two together after.

Monsters were feared because they cause harm and destruction. She was a monstrosity, she was a monster, she, causes harm and destruction.

What if, what if she'd lost her bearings again and hurt Santana? What if she hurts Santana?

Her agile legs jerked and she launched off of Santana's lap, tearing away from the wonderful embrace she was held in and landing just a few inches away with her butt on the grass and legs stretched out, wide eyes staring at brown ones that were widened in shock as well.

"B-Brittany?" Santana calls for what seems like the umpteenth time that hour. She didn't know what to think of a Brittany like this, much less what to do.

"Britt Britt?." she continued to call the stunned girl sitting uncomfortably rigid opposite her. Santana stretched her arm out to touch the frozen Brittany and possibly give a bit of reassuring warmth as well, but the leggy blonde edged away just as her finger tips grazed against the hairs of her forearm.

"Don't come near me" the blonde quickly scrambled to her feet to get as far away as she could from her best friend, to make sure Santana's protected from her body's impulsive destructiveness with distance.

"huh" and a frustrated frown was all Santana could supply to the abrupt distance Brittany felt the need to create, robbing Santana of the comforting close proximity she was so used to.

"I..I might hurt you" the blonde confessed softly, backing away.

By now Santana's frustration had built up from her stomach to her chest and if it were anybody else she was having this 'roleplay' with, she'd already have burnt them to ashes with her bare hands, but since it was Brittany, she knew she wouldn't be able to do that, her worst would ever only be screaming at her and that was only if she blows her top and her mind was blinded by raw fury, so she decided to give Brittany that extra second of patience.

Getting off her feet in a huff, she takes tentative steps towards the trembling blonde, "why would you hurt me Brittany?"

"I said don't come near me! Why can't you just stay away?"

She was not expecting that sudden outburst. Why was she being screamed at anyways? She doesn't recall having done anything to have deserved such a rude outburst.

In short, she'd blown her top.

"What is up Brittany. If this is just one of your damn role playing games then stop it. I don't even know who you are or who I am and what the hell you're doing."

"I-it's not a game!"

"Then what is this!" Santana huffed, throwing her arms skywards in disgruntlement, "Everything had been fine! Everything has been going very well actually. I don't..."

"yeah! Everything had been going fine until I had to go around destroying everything around me again!" Brittany interjected with the fire of same intensity burning behind her usually calm blue orbs, Santana could even feel the wind picking up, but that was short lived, Brittany's eyes dulled again and she'd retreated back to her cowering stance.

"I mean... What if I hurt you?"

Santana's insides flipped and her heart rammed itself against the inside of her ribcage in an attempt to lurch towards Brittany, so she followed her heart and proceeded towards Brittany.

"S-stop!"

Santana broke into a sprint.

"Santana, I said - ummph!"

Before she could finish, Santana had closed the distance between then, grabbed the blonde by her head and pulled their lips together forcefully.

Swift arms grabbed the smaller girl's shoulders and tried as hard as they could to pry the two bodies apart, but Santana was too driven by the adrenaline and affection she was feeling, managing to keep their lips connected as she pushed Brittany backwards until the blonde's back knocked onto the trunk of a tree. Even then, she kept their lips together.

* * *

A warm sensation trickled like the condensation on a cold mug of root beer down Brittany's body. With every hot breath heaved out of Santana's nose onto her right cheek, she felt her body sag more and more into the warm body pinning her to the tree, agitation and fear sipping out from all the pores in her body and disappearing with the wind. Her mind started to get hazy and Santana's soft plump lips and palms against her cheeks begun to become the only things she could feel (besides the erratic thumping of her heart) and think of.

Then she understood why Santana wasn't afraid to come near here, why Santana knew she's never get hurt even when she was close to a girl who could control the wind but couldn't control herself; for that girl was Brittany, and hurting Santana would've gone against every single moral and physical threshold in Brittany's being.

* * *

Santana could feel warm wetness against the pad of her thumbs and on the edges of her lips. Her heart twisted and ached. For she had made Brittany cry, she'd allowed Brittany to cry. She'd broken the promise she made to Brittany, at this very place.

* * *

_"what's wrong Britt Britt? Why are you crying? Who was it? Who do I have to burn!" yelled the 8 year old Santana as she moved her short legs with quick succession towards the quaking blonde who was hugging her legs with her face buried on her knees._

_"n-no S-San. D-Don't hurt P-Puck." The blonde heaved, shoulders lifting a great deal before deflating again with shudders. "H-He. he didn't mean to ca-call me st-st-stu..." and the blonde broke into a series of sobs again._

_Santana's chest, besides being constricted from the ache she felt for her crying best friend, started to burn as a fire built on rage ignited in her chest._

_"Puckerman..." she growled, fist clenched tightly and upper lip curling into a menacing snarl._

_The tone of Santana voice alerted Brittany to the preceding fight that would undoubtedly unfold if Santana were to be allowed in the presence of the mohawked boy right now, so, she sucked in a deep breath and looked up._

_"D-Don't San. I... I'll cry m-more if-If you g-go hurt yourself" her lungs quaked with the sharp intakes of air invading her lungs._

_The crimson red orbs of the raging Santana began to dissolve as she looked at the despaired blonde; eyes missing that extra child-like twinkle, fresh tears glistening on the swollen cheeks that were red from pressing against knees and the inevitable trembling protruding lower lip. Those were all it took for Santana's fury to dissolve and for the Latina to quickly drop to her knees in front of the blonde._

_"Okay. But it's just this once Brittany. It's just this once, for I'll never let anyone or anything hurt you ever again," she lowered her head and pressed her lips tenderly to the wet cheeks of the previously sobbing blonde, "I'll never let you cry again."_  
_When she pulled back and locked her eyes upon the blue eyes that were quickly regaining colour, hers had so much sincerity and determination that it was simply seeping out of her brown orbs._

_"Never" she confirmed again, with a resolute shake of her head from left to right._

* * *

Santana pulled away after the muscles in her calf started to throb from her standing on the balls of her feet for a second too long and rested their foreheads together.

They both breathed in deeply, revelling in the mixture of both their breaths intermingling at the small space in between their mouths.

"why...," Brittany breathed, sending a burst of hot air onto Santana's face and then shocking the Latina with the piercing coldness of her hands as she cupped Santana's cheeks. Brown orbs peeked out of half hooded lids as Santana's eyes flitted open and drifted upwards to look at Brittany, whose shining cobalt eyes were staring right back at hers. "why are you crying?" Brittany asked, forehead bunching against Santana's as her brows turned upwards in a worried crease.

Santana's brows in turn furrowed down in puzzlement. "what? I'm not crying-"  
She reached up and lightly tap her cheeks only to feel the wetness on her cheeks she didn't know about.

"why are you crying Santana?" Brittany urged again, giving Santana's forehead a light push with hers.

A wave of hot breath tickled the skin of Brittany's neck as Santana sighed, preparing to reveal the reason for her embarrassing emotional breakdown.

"because I-I'm sorry" She confessed, hands that have dropped to the small of Brittany's back bunched the material of soft army shirt in a tight fist and eyes dropping to look at the fine hairs on Brittany's creamy neck.

When Brittany didn't respond, she flicked her eyes up to look at the taller girl, only to see patient blue eyes shining back at her even when they were under the shadow of the large tree Brittany was still pressed to.  
Why was she embarrassed in the presence of Brittany? Brittany always understands. Even so, admitting to the reason she cried or even to the fact that she had even cried at all was a large step out the threshold of her personal morals.

Brittany, had the answer for that inner turmoil unfolding in Santana.

"come on San. I'm Brittany, not anyone else"

And that's when she realised just how dumb she was to have even allowed the verbal dispute to unfold in her mind. What personal morals? Santana's personal morals? The Santana that everyone only knows as the queen bee of the school, Santana the girl you should never trifle with. Santana the girl who's too strong to cry, Santana 'the girl on fire'?

But that's not her.

She's Santana Rivera Lopez. She's The real Santana. The real Santana isn't all that front everyone think she was, she was, well... Brittany's Santana.

"I'm sorry I allowed you to shed a tear. Sorry I didn't keep the promise I made to you. I know it sounds silly an-"

"yeah, that's silly because we've both broken that promise, because you've cried too," The thumbs on her cheeks begun it's light motion, much like hers had before. "that promise was made by both of us. Not just you. It's you and me Santana. It's always you and me."

Santana had never, felt her heart beat so erratically in her chest before.

nothing more was said as understanding passed between the both of them.

* * *

"Do you hear the birds?" Brittany broke the comfortable silence forcing Santana to open her eyes.

Shiny chocolate brown orbs stared affectionately at their favourite pair of eyes before widening. Santana sat up immediately, looking up at the already darkening sky.

"Britt!," she exclaimed, face blanched, "we should've been home hours ago!"

They scrambled up to their feet, smoothing their attire and fixing their hair, Brittany simply stuffing her blonde hair into a greyish-green army cap.

Santana had already gripped the handle of her wooden basket full of groceries but Brittany was still scurrying around the opening.

"what are you doing Brittany! We've gotta go! Your mother is going to kill you!" Santana scolded.

This was the first time Brittany didn't cower under the name of her mother, she was always the one rushing home in fear that her mother would disallow her out the house the next day.

"I can't!," Brittany shouted across her shoulder to Santana who was already crouched at the shrub, all prepared to go out.

"I can't find Ballad!"

"who's Ballad" Santana shouted back, brow furrowing with confusion. When did they have a friend called Ballad?

"The duck!" Brittany flung her arms to the air in frustration, pacing back and forth the diameter of the circular opening.

Santana giggled when she saw the head of the disfigured duck bobbing along in the back pocket of Brittany's brown trousers.

"Brittany?," Santana called with a giggle, "Ballad's in your back pocket."

Brittany stopped pacing abruptly and twisted her body seeking for the duck, true enough, Ballad was sitting in her back pocket with it's head tilted down to the side. Her blue eyes started to sparkle as if it was the most expensive and precious thing in the world.

Santana's right hand was stretched out when Brittany skipped gaily towards her with a smile so big, her eyes were hardly even open. The blonde laced their hands together and proceeded to crouch into the shrub to tug them out, but was pulled back forcefully. Brittany spinned back to face Santana and a sharp intake of breath was heard before a pair of lips were pressed onto hers forcefully.

"mmm," Brittany chuckled at Santana's forcefulness, noting that it was the third time that day that this had happen and smiling onto the girl's lips before wrapping her arms around the girl's neck to push her lips harder onto plump ones, revelling in the way it made her body tingle and her heart soar with delight.

When they pulled away, Brittany looked down at Santana, who was looking up at the taller girl through dark eyelashes and a red tint on her cheeks, with curiosity and amusement at Santana's fervour "thanks Britt," she whispered, "thanks for not caring for the rage of your mother to search for the Duck." she sounded so small and timorous, almost on the verge of tears.

To Santana's astonishment, Brittany didn't reply but instead tore their bodies apart and pulled both of them out through the shrub and into the alleyway.

The short walk towards the exit was engulfed in silence.

But Brittany wasn't one to end the day with Santana without clearing the air, thus, before they remerged out and into the noisy evening market, Brittany turned and faced Santana with an angry expression.

"You're thanking me for silly things again Santana. You've always had and will always be number one for me."

Santana's vision started to grow cloudy around the edges and all she could see was the perfection standing in front of her. Even her tears were in favour of Brittany.

Her heart swelled with an unidentifiable emotion and all she could think of was how much she never wanted to see the retreating back of Brittany ever again, all she could think of was how much she wanted to never ever leave Brittany, of how her heart leaps with every glance Brittany sends her, how her heart always seemed to ram against her chest like a frenzied hammer wanting to leap to the gorgeous blonde girl or how Brittany was made of everything beautiful and happy.

She vaguely remembered her mother had mentioned such an overwhelming emotion previously, when they were at the topic of her father, but no matter how she racked her mind she couldn't bring the word to the front of her mind.

so,

"You're number one for me too Britt. You'll always be my number one" was all Santana could offer, for now.

But never-mind cliche and simplicity, that simple statement was more than capable to elicit that smile,

that Santana smile Brittany had.

The smile where her lips edged more to the right with only a hint of pearly whites peeking out from the slightly parted soft pink lips and that's when her eyes are at its bluest with the most distinct shade of cobalt.

Santana was aware of the smile Brittany reserved solely for her, but she wasn't aware that more often than not, that smile was a response to a rare smile only Brittany had the fortune of witnessing.

Santana had her very own Brittany smile.

* * *

They parted with a chaste kiss pressed each other's lips (their new favorite thing to do) and lingering glances before emerging from the alleyway one before the other so that no suspicions will be raised and no attention will be caught.

Santana's heart twisted a little as she watched the figure of Brittany disappear down the same cobbled steps she would be stepping upon later on.

* * *

Santana was tucked into bed by her father that night.

"Daddy," she called her father back from the door, remembering something.  
Martinez Lopez turned around and sat down beside Santana at the edge of her bed, stroking his daughter's cheek with the back of his hand. He missed tucking his daughter in and wouldn't hesitate to steal that opportunity whenever it presented itself in the form of an early dismissal by the sheriff home.

"yes miha?" he asked, getting an idea of what his daughter wanted to talk to him about, judging by how her face was flushed a deep red, her eyes darting around the room and her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her quilt. His heart ached a little then, realising just how much of his precious daughter's growth he was missing out and now without even a single squeak of a signal, she has already grown and troubled with the matters of the heart.

"um... M-mummy talked about you that day." she started, still looking so small in the eyes of her loving father.

"yeah?, what did she talk about?"  
he probbed, swiping a stray bunch of her long raven mane away from her face.

"she, talked about how she felt about you. About how happy she was to have met you and married you." Santana smiled at how loving her parents we.

"and I feel the same about her." Martinez Lopez replied with a smile that looked strikingly similar to his daughter's.

"yeah. I was. Um," she stalled, picking at the loose thread of her quilt before taking in a deep breath and looking her father in the eye.

Martinez Lopez's breath hitch in his throat as he saw the familiar fiery passion behind his daughter's brown eyes. They looked exactly like his wife's when he proposed to her.

"I was wondering what that feeling was called." Santana finished, trapping the cloth in a tight fist.

"it's called Love miha, amor." a feminine voice said from the door way, causing the father and daughter to jump slightly in shock.

Santana watched as her father's eyes lit up and a smile tugged upon his lips as he stood up and walked towards his wife.

"te amo, cariño" Martinez Lopez whispered, resting his arms on his wife's hips, forgetting about the extra pair of eyes.

"Mami! Papi! Go be disgusting somewhere else!" Santana shouted from her bed, eliciting a giggle and groan from her parents.

Martinez Lopez hugged his wife from behind and placed a kiss on her cheek, "good night miha. Sweet dreams!" he shouted before waddling with his wife's feet upon his out of his daughter's room.

"our daughter is in love cariño." his wife whispered to him.

"I know," he replied, "and might have a clue who the person might be" remembering a scene between a Latina girl that he recognised immediately and a blonde boy who really was a girl if you looked closely.

His wife tore her body from his quickly and kissed away the pout that formed from his lips before asking excitedly, "who is it!"

His dark brows furrowed slightly, worried that his wife might take it harshly, "her childhood friend"

Maria Lopez's eyes darted to the ceiling as she thought of all the children Santana played with as a child and only one person came to mind, "Brittany?" she inquired, looking back into her husband's eyes.

He simply nodded his head, watching his wife's face for the impending reaction.

To his bewilderment, a smile splayed across his wife's face.

"why are you smiling?"

"why shouldn't I be?" Maria Lopez countered, walking away to the living room and plopping herself upon the couch for she knew it was going to take some convincing for her husband to believe that she was fine with it, if the person her daughter had fallen for it was Brittany.

Martinez Lopez wasn't buying it, he crouched down in front of his wife and kept her under his intense scrutiny.

"what Cariño." she rolled her eyes, running a hand through his head of curly short hair and leaving her fingers tangled up in those soft locks.

"why are you fine with it. I expected you to be more..." he gestures with his hands, trying to think of a word.

"perplexed? Disturbed? Angry? Disgusted?"

Martinez Lopez's head bobbed in agreement with every expression his wife came up with.

She sighed heavily out of her nose before cupping her husband's cheeks with her two hands.

"she's our precious daughter Martinez," she started, looking straight into his eyes so he could see she the ingenuity behind her statements, "all I want for her is happiness and for her not to get that delicate heart of hers broken. If i want all that, then Brittany's the answer. Brittany gives her all the happiness in the world, you should see the way her eyes sparkles when she's with that blonde. And that smile, that smile she gives Brittany? Makes my heart melt. That's how I know she makes my daughter happy."

"how sure are you that Brittany won't hurt her?," he asked, perplexed.

"very sure," Maria Lopez replies without a fraction of a second's hesitation.

"how? Why?" her husband continued to test a theory.

"because Cariño, Brittany looks at Santana with that same look in her eyes as the one you give me"

That was it. Martinez Lopez was officially, thoroughly convinced.

* * *

In the dark room of the teenager, Santana laid under her quilt with only one thing on her semi conscious mind.

"te amo." she says to the room,  
"te amo Brittany" She breathes hoping Brittany gets her heart felt message.

And Brittany does because at the same town, under the same sky, Brittany's heart pounds erratically against her chest and she face spreads into a lopsided smile, feeling as if her heart and Santana's had just touched.

* * *

There it is. Hope you enjoyed it. Please leave your thoughts and critics. and have a great day!


	2. Chapter 2: Of Guilt and Friendship

__**A/N:** Hey guys! thanks for the follows and fav and review (: i really appreciate it. although i don't think this story is progressing like you guys hoped it would, i hope you stick around. (: anyways, this chapter's actually quite a filler. You're gonna hate me for the only interaction between Brittany and Santana for this one. This episode is more of a... Pucktana?

Please leave your comments (: i'll answer every question you throw my way as well!

**Disclaimer: **poor me doesn't own a thing.

* * *

_Chapter__ 2: Of Guilt and Friendship_

___"Why are we even playing hide and seek?" monotoned Puck with his arms crossed, resting his shoulder against the tall shrub beside him_

_The five friends were gathered around the small white table at the Evan's intricately groomed backyard._

_The backyard was filled walls of flora and fauna-shrubs as tall as humans- paving a maze that took Sam's close friends months to familiarise themselves with it._  
_With the exception of Brittany. She still needed the aid of the others._

_"Because, Brittany wants to play hide and seek and what Brittany wants she gets. Also, it's her birthday Puck. So Don't be a bitch" Santana retorted, giving hers and Brittany's interlinked pinkies a light squeeze that said "don't worry, I've got this"_

_Puck gave an exaggerated roll of his eyes before pushing off the wall muttering a string of unintelligent comments._

_Santana was so close to striking Puck with a clenched fist but then she felt a tug at her pinky, enticing her to turn her head to look up at Brittany._

_She wouldn't describe it as surprise when her eyes met the extraordinary twinkling cobalt eyes of Brittany's, Unfailingly mesmerising would've been a better fit of the bill. She could feel her insides melting as Brittany looked at her with that lop sided smile of hers and the massive wave of tingles that ran up and down her body wasn't a first either._

_"Yup," Santana thought, scrunching her nose up at Brittany adorably,"unfailingly mesmerising was a fit to the tee"_

_Brittany's eyes widened along with her smile._

_It was amazing how a simple petulant action in Santana's part could elicit such adoration and happiness from Brittany. They were lost in their own little bubble._

_The other two of the group paid no attention to the affection these two friends shared, while Puck, was the only one who had them under watchful eyes. He couldn't understand how his other friends couldn't see that the interaction between Santana and Brittany was one for question. Were they strictly platonic? Did they share an illicit bond? Or were they merely extremely close friends?_

_Questions after questions after questions collected in his throat until they were at the very brim, threatening to spew out in a long string of incoherent words. If it was incoherent he could spill it couldn't he? Since it wouldn't be understood anyways._

_No._

_Santana was quick, she's pick out a word and grasp the gist of it, then, he'd be in deep trouble. Although he was almost a head taller than Santana, with strength rivalling that of a two headed bull, he knew he'd stand no chance in a heated battle with the "Queen of fire". She'd reduce him into a pile of ashes before he could even lay a finger on her._

_"Alright! So who's the predator?" Sam asked, clasping his hands together and looking around for a volunteer._

_No one did._

_"Awww come on. It can't be me, I was predator the last time" Sam prodded._

_"I was predator the last last time," offered Tina, picking at her black dress._

_"I was predator the other time! I remember catching Puck in the hair because I thought it was George." Brittany chirped._

_"Who is George?" Asked Tina almost out of boredom. She knew George was a plant or animal of some sort._

_"It's the squirrel that lives in this garden. I've spotted it several times, running on the top of the tall shrubs."_

_"Are you sure it's not all just Puck's hair?" Sam asked, quirking a brow._

_Brittany raised a finger ready to give an explanation as to why it wasn't "just Puck's hair" only for nothing to come out of her opened mouth. She closed it and looked to the sky._  
_"Ooooooh..."_

_They chuckled at Brittany's silliness._

_"I was predator before Brittany was. That leaves you Santana." Puck pointed out._

_Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at Puck with stubborn eyes. "No! I don't want to be predator! No one wants to be predator!" She whined._

_"It's only fair San. You have to be predator since you haven't been one" Brittany said, giving Santana a condescending look._

_"Bu-but..., oh fine" she rolled her eyes and threw her arms to the sky in frustration._

_"But it wouldn't be fair then too. Cause I'd find Brittany within seconds." She pointed out smugly, crossing her arms across her chest._

_The two friends opened their mouths ready to retort, only to find themselves at a loss for words. The truth was hard to debate with and that, was nothing but the truth._

_Puck, however, couldn't control his tongue when it decided to release his three year long questions._  
_"Oh yeah, you and Brittany always had that...weird Connection"_

_Something seemed to flash across Santana's mind as she snapped her head to look at Puck, suspicion and anger clouding her eyes, smugness disappeared without a trace._

_"What do you mean, weird connection" she asked, making sure to draw the word "weird" out._

_"Oh you know... The kind Romeo and Juliet has." Puck replied without much thought._

_Santana's eyes widened in what seemed like fear as her eyes darted to survey the reactions of her other friends, missing the simper that was unmistakably splayed across the face of a certain blue eyed blonde beauty._

_Sam's thick lips were pressed into a thin line and his eyes moved from Brittany and back to her, then back to Brittany. Tina, on the other hand, refused to look at the two, fingers fidgeting at the hem of the string around her waist._

_When her eyes snapped back to Puck, all she could feel was the heat pooling at her gut. It wasn't the kind of heat she felt when Brittany and her were kissing, it was the kind that forced growls out her throat. And that, was exactly what she was doing. Growling._

_"Friends," she growled, voice low and menacing, "have weird connections such as this. It's a commodity. If you had friends Puckerman, you'd know"_

_The temperature around the five friends was increasing rapidly as Santana's eyes grew a darker shade of crimson every passing second._

_"I was simply jesting Santana." Puck raised his hands up in a portrayal of surrender, "Your unnecessary reaction just makes me think that there indeed is something unusual going on between the both of you"_

_And that was it._

_Santana snapped, rage taking over her completely. The Latina advanced towards the boy slowly, upper lip curled into a snarl, eyes now a deep crimson red and an ominous grey smoke escaping from the holes in her tightly clenched fist._

_"What the fuck do you know Puckerman?" She hissed, "Brittany and I are just friends,"_

_All the while, everyone had their fearful eyes set on Puck and Santana, not one took notice of the lone tear that had slipped out of Brittany's eye, nor did they witness the resplendent grin on her face waver before collapsing into a straight line._

_"We're nothing more," she said through gritted teeth, anger having numbed her senses, making her oblivious to the way her heart was painfully wrenching and twisting in her chest, telling her that everything she was proclaiming were lies._

_Lie, after lie, after lie._

_Brittany's throat constricted and a sob lodged itself in her throat as her eyes brimmed with tears. She didn't know what she was feeling; anger or sadness. Or maybe both. But now she felt as if a rough stone had flown down her throat and left a burning trail in it's wake as it scratched itself all the way down to her guts where it killed all the beautiful butterflies that were fluttering around gleefully before. Of course, not before diverging from it's course and journey to her heart, stabbing the palpitating organ._

_Brittany knew Santana hated how the raucous canteen would grow eerily silent when they walked down the aisle towards the queue for food, especially with their pinkies linked. She knew Santana hated the soft "ssssss"s that appear sporadically around the canteen as the different group of friends huddle together and sent suspicious glances at the two. She knew Santana hated the 'L' word they have been associated with so much lately. Lebanon, Lenient, Lebanese. She could hardly remember the word._

_Although Brittany hated that Santana paid so much mind to those trivial happenings, she'd rather comply to Santana's insecurities then allow Santana a reason to not hold her hand. And that's another why Brittany disguises as a poor army boy with a cap that kept her identity a secret to the town during her and Santana's little dates, besides the fact that she was the mayor's daughter._

_Yes, Brittany knew all of that and she had been very understanding about the matter, always thinking about how Santana would come around soon-her hope growing for the past few weeks as Santana asked for more and more lady kissing sessions, but now, as Santana hurled disclaim after insults and rebuttals after disclaims, she couldn't help but feel that Santana's words were a direct stab to her quivering heart._

_"And Brittany and I will never," she heard Santana snarl, "be anything more than friends"_

_Brittany flinched._

_If one had thought that Brittany couldn't snap, or snap at Santana for that matter, then he'd be utterly wrong._

_Before Santana could reach her hand out and set the boy's grey t-shirt ablaze, a flash of blonde appeared before her. Her sensitive skin turned into a terrain of goosebumps and immediately, her hand halted mid air, grey smoke still raising from the palm._

_"Stop it Santana." Came the stern voice that sounded so unfamiliar. Although, it really wasn't so much of the tone than the name that had been mentioned under it's influence._

_Santana's eyes slid up to look at Brittany and the menacing thoughts of reducing Puck into a pile of ashes and allowing the wind to blow it away, was replaced with, with fear._

_She had never seen Brittany look this way before. She had never seen Brittany's jaw so set that the bones were protruding out from the bottom sides of her face, her brows so furrowed that they appeared as perfect line of blonde and her eyes, her eyes were the most shocking of them all; they were burning with a fire of such intensity that it rivalled the fire that had been burning in Santana's stomach earlier on._

_Santana's eyes had lost it's crimson colour straight away as it darted from left to right, searching the blonde's eyes._

_She reached a hand out to caress Brittany's cheeks, but the blonde edged back and bumped into Puck, who raised two hands up to catch the blonde._

_As quickly as it dissolved, the anger came back at the sight of Puck's fingers encircled around Brittany's forearm._

_That was supposed to be her._  
_"Don't touch her Puck, or I'll..."She threatened._

_"Or you'll what Santana?" Brittany interjected, her right fist balling the material of her beige colored dress._

_"I'll fucking..." Santana growled, eyes fixating on the mo-hawked boy hiding behind Brittany's frame._

_"You'll burn someone? You'll go all Lima heights on someone? Why Santana? Why go through all the trouble for someone you're so ashamed off!" As Brittany's voice escalated with every word, the wind around them picked up and blew whatever remnants of fire left in Santana away._

_Brittany felt sick, her tummy was recoiling and she needed to hurl. It must be because her body wasn't used to being so angry at the one thing that had been their subject of utter ardor and, still remains the one she loved the most, even as she was shouting mercilessly at it._

_Brittany's chest tightened and her heart did a little flip flop, chasing the anger away from her. The blonde averted her eyes from the shimmering chocolate brown orbs that was making her insides melt into a puddle of mushy vanilla flavored pudding and onto a random patch of grass to the left of Santana's feet._

_"Brittany I.." The desperation in Santana's voice broke Brittany's heart._

_"Go..," it surprised Brittany when her voice sounded so different from how she had thought she'd sound; It sounded so croaked, so scratchy and so incredibly foreign._

_"Go away Santana.."_

_The Latina flinched when the first utterance of the plea for her to leave escaped the mouth of Brittany. She flinched and shivered the second time it was said, this time with her name incorporated into the mixture._

_Then she turned and left, she turned and started into a run, pumping her legs in quick succession towards someplace else, anywhere else away from Brittany, before another "go" ordered softly in Brittany's broken tone could drift to her ears._

_Where she was headed, she hadn't known yet, but she supposes she'd find it soon because her chest was way too tight to keep running for long._

_Tina, Puck and Sam struggled to keep their hair away from their face and their clothes from being blown away as they studied the dazed Brittany that was still looking at the corner of the garden where Santana had ran to minutes before._

_Everything around Brittany was fluttering rapidly under the harassment of a strong wind they couldn't tell the origin of._

_No one suspected Brittany though._

_Then, her face screwed up and Brittany started inhaling and exhaling rapidly, tears streaming down her cheeks and dripping off her chin. Sam reached forward to offer a consoling touch but Tina pulled him back, shaking her head slowly from left to right._

_Nothing could make Brittany feel better right now. Nothing except a certain Latina._

_So they watched-Puck feeling guilt pooling in his guts, as the blonde slowly got into a crouch before pulling her legs to herself and burying her face in her arms, her body quaking with the intense sobs that were reverberating through her weak body._

_The only thing in Brittany's mind was wavy raven hair still peeking out from the tall shrub Santana's body had disappeared to milliseconds before._

_Nothing was uttered for a full thirty minutes, until a few glances towards Puck's way told him that he had to solve what he had started._

* * *

A foul smell engulfed his senses the moment the wooden door creaked open. Instinctively, his muscles twitched with the need to turn around and head out of the restaurant, repulsed by that sour smell that was causing bile to creep up his throat and involuntary tears to spring into his eyes. The callous expanse of his big palm grazed lightly across the greasy, once golden door knob, ready to twist it and push open the door open but then he stalled. His hands circled around the one thing preventing him from escaping to blissful freedom, hovering over it, but not touching it. In his mind, was a debate as to what was more important. He was dumb academically, but he was bright enough to understand that there was a legitimate hierarchy of the things in life. Family, friends, happiness, instant gratification or long term gratification.

"Books can only bring you so far," his ears rang with the frail voice of his grandmother whom he held in high esteem when she was still around. A dread settled in his heart when he realized that he couldn't remember her voice as distinctly as he could before and he couldn't remember how that sentence of wisdom was supposed to continue. Luckily though, he knew exactly what it was about-life was about doing the right thing and not doing what you or anyone wants you to do.

The right thing.

The right thing right this instance was to face the conundrum head on, run into the impending confrontation with the bravado he portrayed so frequently in school.

Still, his fingers were in a stiff arc around the door knob.

The desire to simply bail and escape from the restaurant was still lingering like a pest around him and his mind played around with the idea that he could potentially leave. He knew they wouldn't blame him. He knew that this problem would persist for a few days at most and then dissipate into thin air as if it hadn't even happened in the first place. It was the same order of events in every fight that had commenced within the group.

The muscles in his fingers contracted and his hands enclosed around the knob.

No.  
No.

This fight was different.

He had gone too far. Even though he couldn't fathom what the current circumstances were or what the relationship between his two best friends were, he had gone too far. Whatever he had said, although were words induced by words in the same state of apathy, had indeed hit a nerve. A nerve near the heart. He had been a bad friend.

"Think, before you speak. You must say it to yourself, before you say it to other people."  
This time, his grandmother's voice was much clearer when it replayed in his mind.

He let out a heavy sigh and regretted it immediately for now he had to inhale a deep breath to fill his lungs with the oxygen he had just selfishly exhaled and the air in the restaurant wasn't exactly one deemed fit for hefty inhalation.  
So, he tugged the collar of his blue shirt up to cover his mouth and nose, trying as best as he could to block out the repulsive smell and took shallow but many quick breaths.

"Welcome" came an extremely high pitched voice and immediately, he knew that it was a familiar someone. Someone from school.

A dilapidated restaurant really isn't a place where you'd want to hear a familiar voice. He had a reputation to uphold and this restaurant could barely bear the weight of his reputation.

He turned anyways, pressing his left hand against his collar to pin the shirt over his nose and mouth.

He was greeted with the sight of a bouncing teenager with a wide smile and radiant face. She was clad in an orange flair-bottomed dress that was lined with white laces at the rim and an extremely out of place white visor worn purposefully tilted to the left.  
Sugar motta. He should've guessed. Only someone like her would be able to sound so chirpy in a place such as this. She definitely was a juxtaposition to the restaurant.

"Just one?" She rocked off the heels of her feet and onto the balls, with her hand clasped behind her back.

He flinched. Her voice was way too high pitched.

Should he just get a new seat for himself and maybe survey the situation a little more in depth with a cup of undoubtedly disgusting coffee before heading over to "solve" the situation? Or should he just head right on over and get the problem over and done with.

He craned his neck up and stood on the balls of his feet as he ran his eyes around the restaurant, seeking a certain girl with a head of long raven mane.

Recognition clicked into his brain when he spotted a dark skinned girl seated at the cushioned bench-chair right at the edge of the restaurant where it was most obscured, where people were most sparse.

Nothing less expected from that girl.

Her chin was resting upon the heel of her palm as she stared out the big glass window, looking deep in thought with deeply furrowed dark brows and a fidgeting jaw. Although she seemed almost relaxed in stance with sagging shoulders, her heart was a completely different thing. He knew that she was a bomb with power as immense as an atomic one ready to time out and incinerate every single person around an 8 mile radius.

Okay maybe he was exaggerating.

No. Maybe not. She did have a fire that burned with great intensity flickering inside of her every single second.

"No." He said, voice hoarse and lower than usual. Not in the way it does when his libido comes forth, but rather with a more... Dark edge. A compilation of Worry, sadness and guilt.

"My friend's right over there" he cocked his head to the direction where he had spotted her, eyes looking back at Sugar.

The bubbly girl's eyes flicked to the indicted direction and her face fell a little. Santana must have been a difficult customer. Again, not a surprise.

"Oh! Okay. Thank you for coming to our restaurant then!"

He sent her a smile, but quickly took it back when he remembered that she couldn't see it underneath his blue shirt.

It didn't matter anyways for she was bounding off to the kitchen, pony tail swaying from side to side.

* * *

Although he would never admit to it, his palms were sweating profusely and legs were trembling slightly with every step he took towards the girl. Who, was still deep in thought and looking out the window absentmindedly, the condensation of the once cool root beer pooling on the wooden table with the cup still filled to the brim.

Even though he had reached the edge of the table where she was seated, the metal zipper of his pants almost touching it's edge, she still hasn't even moved an inch. The tightening of her grip on the mug was the only indication that she was fully aware of his presence.

"H-hey..." He greeted, trying to make it seem casual, but having it sound forced and timid instead. He cleared his throat loudly, using a bad throat as an excuse for a tone so unlike his gallant self.

She must have noticed the slip up though, for all Santana offered back was the sound of a sharp exhalation through the nose, barely even sparing the mohawked boy a glance.

The flesh of fingers so roughened and toughened by years of playing baseball, tapped rhythmically against brown pants as he awaited a response. A more... Legitimate response.

None came.

Of course.

Who was he kidding?

Puck rolled his eyes and wiped his palms against his pants before shoving himself into the seat right next to her. He knew that doing that would put him in a position of possible immediate incineration, but only this way was he able to trap the girl. Unless she crawls underneath the table, then her pride would trap her. Either way, she was strapped to her seat.

That being done, he still received no reaction from the girl who was blatantly ignoring him, brown orbs following the passersby walking past the restaurant and thumb nail scratching incessantly against the "Lima" engraved into the middle of the glass in fanciful font.

Puck, although wanting to get this over and done with, didn't want to do it too quickly because it would be rather ironic if another fight begins from this confrontation meant to solve the problem and ease the unusual tension between his friends. So, his eyes darted to the girl whose long mane was the only thing she allowed him to see and back onto the twiddling thumbs he has atop the table while he racked his mind for a way to ease into the subject.

Then he remembered the uncanny fear, surprise and hurt on full display in deep brown orbs-that had convinced anyone who hadn't known better-that it was void of emotions and the striking anger and fire blazing behind usually calm blue orbs that were directed at the subject it loved the most. It was then that he knew there wasn't a way to ease into this matter. This operation he and the other members of the group had placed him on was dire.

Santana without Brittany and Brittany without Santana.

It was safe to say that their lives were balancing on a thin thread millions of miles up into the sky. Because, what is one without the other? That's what everyone that had met these duo had learnt. Santana and Brittany. They existed, as two. If the world said that love and marriage was the only thing that could merge two into one, then this duo had confounded the world.

If Santana, being the smarter one of the duo, was willing to put such a mind-boggling connection on the line, then she could only be book smart. For if it was him, he'd be running over to Brittany and, for the lack of a better expression, be down on one knee and proposing to the girl. One would never give up a connection such as this for anything in the world.

Where would you find such an amazing connection?  
He's sure you'd only ever be able to discover one once in a life time or for the sadder bunch he hopes he wouldn't ever be a member of, never in their miserable life.

That's why, he deemed it legal for him to be fuming right now, eyes burning two holes through he head of the girl who was still ignoring him, his previously anxiously twiddling thumbs now clamped so hard against the other that his knuckles have turned white. Santana was being a insolent prick. Stubborn, dumb and foolish.

"Santana." he begun, completely discarding the thought about having to avoid another fight. Santana deserves a lecturing. She was desperately in need of some logic knocked into her brain.

He turned his body to face the girl, curling one leg up onto the chair until the knee of his left leg was pressing against the back of the couch, the other dangling off the edge. She flinched after he spoke, but gave no other reaction.

Puck huffed, rolling his eyes and furrowing his brows.

"You know what Santana? This is disgusting behavior."

The scratching of thumb nail against glass halted abruptly. He had caught Santana's attention. She was listening now.

"You're behaving just like those girls whose skirts are basically their underwear and the previous mayor who left his son in enemy territory because he thought his child was too dumb,"

He paused, knowing the following sentence would hit a nerve.  
"You're being just, like, Brittany's step-mother"

The girl didn't react straight away.  
There were a few moments of agonizing silence before she turned around slowly, upper lip curled much like before and the root beer in the cup she was holding spewing out of the cup and landing onto the wooden table in hot sizzling blotches.

Puck retracted his hand from the table immediately, looking at the boiling root beer with wide eyes.

"What the fuck did you just say about me"

Well, he did score a bull's eye.

It was barely a question, more of a rhetorical one. But he had to answer. Because he had an answer to that.

"I-I'm" he stuttered and the inner Puckersaurus in him roared.

He wasn't a timid small boy who cowers in the presence of an angry girl even if it was _the_ fire demon Santana Lopez. He was Noah Puckerman, head of baseball club, struts the hallways of McKinley with people darting out of his way and was allowed to break the rules because the teachers were too afraid to discipline him.

He could do this.  
His throat was indeed clogged up when he attempted to clear it. With what, he wasn't sure but he took it as a sign from the man in the sky that he was heading in the right path.

"I'm just saying that you're being foolish right now. Putting important matters aside so you could keep this... This, thing called pride"

He knew the only reason why Santana hadn't looked for Brittany was because she didn't want to be the one to say sorry. She dint want to be the one to admit that she was wrong.

"Who are you to lecture me about pride Puckerman." She growled, hands encircled around the glass cup tightening with a squeak. He could feel the temperature around him increase but paid no mind to it, instead, he pushed his head forward a little and mirrored her glare, jaws tightening.

"You're right. I might by prideful and all about reputation, but I know what's more important than reputation and I know what's more important than pride"

"Oh do you now?" She retorted through gritted teeth.

" yes," he wasted no time in responding, "people that you love and most of all, the people that love you."

Santana opened her mouth, only to close it when she couldn't think of anything to retort and prove that that statement was wrong. That statement, in it's entirety, was utterly correct.

"and you and I both know, that she, is much more important than this pride thing you've got going on here"

Again, nothing surfaces from her long list of offensive retorts.

It was a but a mere suggestive mention of Brittany-it didn't even include the girl's name- and Puck had already given the wall Santana had built, a heavy, well-aimed smash with force equivalent to a bull-dozer.

He should've done it earlier.

Santana's blazing eyes clouded over with something else he could only describe as longing and regret and her stance softened. Shoulders slumped, once angry eyes drifting lethargically to the left before her head turned to that direction.

"You don't know me.." She muttered, so soft and so low that Puck almost didn't catch it, almost.

The boy mirrored her stance, dropping his left leg to the ground and facing the empty seat opposite them. There was no longer a need to intimidate the girl. She was as shattered as anyone could get and no longer possessed the energy to attempt an escape from this confrontation. He could tell anyways, that she wanted to talk about this to someone. No one could bottle something this emotionally taxing up for this long.

"I may not know you as well as Britt does. But I do know you" he replied, no longer with his voice raised and no longer with his teeth barred. This was half done. But not yet. Santana hasn't realized just how important they were to each other yet, because if she did, then she'd already have sprinted out the restaurant and into Brittany's arms. Which he knew, would be wide open and completely forgiving, for the girl to run into.

"you don't even understand how I fe-"

"It isn't always about what you feel though is it?" He interjected with a question, sounding strangely solemn.

"You know how I found you here?" He asked, turning his head to look at the shorter girl.

Santana gave him a side glance, then allowed her eyes to slide back to the cup of root beer.

"You're going to tell me anyways. So why don't you say it"

He rolled his eyes. Obstinate as a bull.

"Brittany told me you were here"

Santana gave out a breathy laugh of disbelief.  
"She doesn't even like this place. She thinks they catch the tiny yellow ducklings at the Central Park and serve them as a dish" the affection in her tone completely contradicting her body language. Then again, Puck couldn't really see her eyes.

"I know," he laughed lightly, "she mentioned it. But somehow, she still knew you were here. I asked everyone in town, Mr Tanaka, Mike, Tina even the monster of a cat that was strangely lurking near your house,"

"That's Tubbs. He really is a monster isn't he" she giggled, a tiny smile tugging at the right side of her lips then she stalled,

"Wait.. Lurking near my house.." Santana's mind played the same line over and over again.

The Latina girl's head spun so fast to look at Puck with wide shocked eyes, that the boy jumped in shock, eyes just as wide looking back at her.

"What? What? Why the big reaction? I didn't even touch you." He rushed out.

Santana's face contorted into a grimace and she punched the boy in the forearm, "you're gross Puckerman", then she raised both eyebrows and asked with such softness in her brown orbs, "the cat was outside my house?"

"Yeah.." He offered with a slow nod of his head. Did he not make himself clear?

Brittany was there. Brittany went to her house to look for her and possibly to apologize for something that wasn't even vaguely her fault. Brittany went to look for her to clear things up but she wasn't even there.

Santana clasped her eyes closed and hung her head. "Shit..." She muttered. While she was here sulking and being angry, Brittany was probably cooped up in her room, crying and crying, mulling over how she could salvage her relationship with Santana. She really was being disgusting. Pride.. What's pride when the conundrum consisted of Brittany. Nothing. Pride was nothing when compared to Brittany. Nothing's ever more important than Brittany.

"Yeah..." Puck, said smugly, proud that he had made her realize just how much she needed to go find Brittany and solve this problem. "See how disgusting you were being?"

Santana looked up at him with her lips pinched at the sides, "and you're any better Puckerman? Do girls always react this way to you when you touch them?"

"N-no!" His eyes wide.

"Touching girls without their consent now huh Puckerman? Not afraid you'll end up in jail for being a molester?"

The boy whipped his head around the restaurant frantically, checking to see that people haven't over heard the girl's ridiculous accusing.

"I'll have you know," he begun, whispering harshly, eyes still fixated to the table nearest to them. "That girls enjoy it very much when I finger them and that's the only time they react like that. So be careful, for people might have thought you were enjoying my ministrations very much" he boasted shamelessly, reveling in the confused and gaping girl beside him.

"You name your..." She made a series of movements with her hand, several times circling around the area near Puck's crotch,"a finger? is that boy's code? and you actually engage in copulation in public?! I can't fathom how many people's eyes have gone sore from the sight or how you haven't gotten arrested for such indecency!"

To Santana's surprise, Puck cupped his mouth and burst into a fit of laughter.

"What?," she whispered harshly, cheeks growing red because she might have said something embarrassingly wrong. She tugged at Puck's arm to keep him at bay for he was attracting all of what little attention this restaurant had.

"Stop it Puckerman. What?!"

"W-when I said finger," he pulled his lips into his mouth as another for of giggles ran up his throat, "I meant finger."

She gulped. Was she hearing this right?

Her cheeks were as red as a tomato when she asked timorously, "y-you put your fingers th-there?"

"Mmhmm!" He nodded his head curtly. "It fits in as well as the.."

"S-stop right there Puck." Santana stuttered, cheeks growing redder and redder by the second.

"If you had allowed me in your pants a few years ago, you would've known how amazing it actually feels. No pregnancy involved, just pure pleasure. It's too late now though Lopez. Even though you're still the hottest girl in town, you're my best friend now. We're too... Close to do stuff like that anymore."

"Are you trying to get into my pants now?"

"Why?" He asked with a wide smile, "is it working?"

"Ummmmm" she dragged, eyes shifting to look at the ceiling and lips twisting in thought.

"No." Her face as stoic as a stone when she looked back at him.

His shoulders slumped and he rolled his eyes, "teaser."

"I thought we couldn't so stuff like that anymore? We're best friends after all" she punched him lightly at the forearm with a simper splayed across her face.

Puck knew she really meant "thank you" and that this confrontation had ended and ended in success. so, he turned to look at the Latina, with an affection-filled one sided smile, "yes, yes we are best friends"

And Santana knew he meant, "no problem"

* * *

It was with much regret afterwards, that they turned their backs on each other to head home.

"Puck!" The bulky boy hears after taking a few steps and he twisted his body around with an eyebrow risen.

"Thank you!" Santana shouts, cupping her mouth with her two hands to make sure that her heartfelt thanks was not conveyed as an empty one.

A smile crept up to Puck's face as he raised an arm and waved.  
"Got your back babe!" He answered, bringing his hand up to his lips and sending a flying smooch to Santana, who pretended to catch it and place it onto her lips.

When they turned around again, the heaviness in Puck's chest had completely disappeared and he was practically skipping home like a 5 year old child, reveling in the lightness of his body, for he had done a good deed.

Santana on the other hand had started into a run towards where she knew Brittany would be.

* * *

sorry if this chapter bored you out ):

i hadn't really checked this, so i hope you forgive me for the mistakes ):

(oh and what the heck did Puck just teach Santana?!)

have a great day my little babies! (:


	3. Chapter 3: Of Lost and Found

**A/N:** hello (: how's your day? here's another chapter of Of Love and Magic! i apologize for any mistakes and i hope you forgive me for them. OH. and forgive me if you don't like it :/ the next update would be many weeks after due to a huge upcoming examination. so please be patient.

**Disclaimer: **i don't own a thing ):

* * *

Chapter 3: Of Lost and Found

Her heart felt as if it had sunk to her stomach when her sandals pressed upon the familiar cobbled pathway. She had dragged her feet all the way from the bustling market to the direction of home; disappointment, dejection and annoyance filling to a brim at her chest.

She knew what her agenda for trudging around town was-to go to Brittany.  
But, there in lies her problem, where was Brittany?

She thought she had known for sure where Brittany was, but apparently, she didn't.

Brittany wasn't at their opening. Brittany wasn't at their safe haven waiting for her.

Now, Santana didn't know what to think and where else to go. She didn't want to go home without having patched up the hole between her and Brittany. How would she be able to sleep with a gaping hole in her heart? What if the ever growing hole consumes her heart and it stops working? Or, why wasn't Brittany waiting for her where she knew Santana would go to first if Santana was indeed looking for her? Does Brittany not want to patch up? Maybe... Maybe she was too late, maybe Brittany doesn't want her anymore.

Before she knew it, she was already stepping over the threshold into Lopez territory; which was an ordinary blue cottage with a back and front yard, fenced by a series of wooden planks-gone over a few times by sandpaper, struck deep into the ground and arranged closely side by side.

Still, Santana made no effort to tilt her head up and look at her surroundings, she kept her head hung low, arms limp by her sides and shoulders slumped. If a two headed bull were to charge her way, she'd be completely oblivious to it.

"Miha!" Mr Lopez called, from the grassy area of the front yard, but his voice; as loud as it was, flew by the depressed girl and displayed itself as a mere gust of wind.

Santana continued to drag her feet down the solid pathway amidst the grassy expense of her front yard, completely oblivious to her father that was calling out to her.

Martinez Lopez noticed the body language, he could see the aura emitting from his daughter and immediately, it clicks into his mind what had happened.

So that was why Brittany had been pacing around outside their house for several hours before. His wife and him had waved her in umpteen times, sometimes even resorting to holding cat food out for the girl's cat and attempting to lure her in, but they were rejected again and again and again. He had gotten a little worried for Santana then, because, if Santana wasn't with Brittany, then where was she?

Now that Santana was in front of him unscathed, he wonders if he'd prefer having to save her from the clutches of kidnappers, or have her looking so broken and preoccupied by thoughts he knew weren't the least jovial. If she had been kidnapped, Matinez Lopez's eyes darted to the sky as a silent prayer for protection from that, he could simply scout the tiny village with a hundred other police officers and incinerate the kidnapper into a heap of ashes-that way he would have saved his daughter and rid this town of another one of those hoodlums, however, he had come to realise that matters of the heart were tough nuts to crack.  
Although he didn't know what was wrong, he knew that if this conundrum was of pertinence to Brittany, then Santana must be feeling extremely distraught right now.

He knew how Santana functioned, and it definitely isn't well without her blonde hair blue eyed companion.

Martinez Lopez's fatherly instincts kicked in right then and he called out to the despondent girl again.

"Santana! miha!" He placed his hammer down and cupped his mouth with both hands so that his voice would be amplified.

This time, the voice of her father brought her back to earth and she whipped her head to the right.

She was thankful to have someone chase away the train of horrible thoughts for awhile before annoyance found it's way back into her chest again and she scowled at her father, failing to discover the wonderful new contraption beside the man.

"Yes Papi?" She greeted with the roll of her eyes. Santana really wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone right now. All she wanted to do was continue her walk, no, trudge of shame all the way to her bedroom where she could bury her face into the pillow and wallow in self pity.

Boy was she pathetic without Brittany.

A sigh escaped her chest and deepened the worried frown on her father's face.

"Come on over here" he requested, raising his arm and flicking his wrist.

Santana opened her mouth to refuse before closing it back without having said anything. Well, she could use a bit of a cheering up, and her father was known to be the master of those.

So she started towards her father.

It wasn't until Martinez Lopez picked up the worn out hammer and patted the hanging wooden bench that Santana's eyes widened from shock and excitement.

"No.. Way. A swing?!" She snapped her head up to look at her father incredulously. Mr Lopez had his arms crossed across his puffed up chest with a smug grin splayed across his handsome face from his daughter's display of furore, proud that he had managed to illicit such a reaction from the solemn girl.

"You built a swing?!" She asked again, still rather astonished and excited about the new contraption sitting right outside her house on the freshly mowed lawn.

She had a swing to her disposal! Not many people have swings in their front lawn. Brittany and her no longer have to creep all the way to the secluded and dilapidated playground at the more deserted part of Lima to satisfy their swinging urges.

The muscles in her legs were practically twitching with the urge to run over to Brittany to tell the blonde the wonderful news, and her mind wouldn't stop displaying the several reactions the blonde would show that would undoubtedly be unbearably adorable.

Then she remembered.

Brittany...

Martinez Lopez's face softened when the twinkling in his daughter's eyes faded away along with the crinkle at the side of her eyes from the wide smile.

He let out a sigh through his nose.

He sat himself on the swing cautiously and stilled when it creaked and wobbled; his hands stretched out in front of him, butt elevated inches above the suspended bench and knees locked into place to secure his balance.

He really didn't want to fall and destroy the whole swing, he had after all spent several hours simply trying to create the blue print of it.

Santana sucked both lips in to stifle the giggle at the tip of her tongue.  
"Give me the hammer Papi." She ordered, holding her opened palm out.

Martinez Lopez looked at his daughter apprehensively for a moment before deciding that he could no longer feel much except for the throbbing in his knees and handed her the hammer. She was his daughter, she must be bright.

And she was.

Santana grabbed the handle of the hammer, walked over to the right side of the swing and started to hammer gently upon where the two long wooden planks that held the swing up were joined together to form a joint.

"Alright!" She proclaimed with one final knock upon the screw.

Martinez Lopez still lowered himself cautiously anyways, if not to keep from aggravating his knee further then it was to be careful not to put his daughter's hard work to waste.

A similar simper spread itself upon both faces when the swing held up sturdily after Martinez Lopez had sat completely upon the suspended bench and it barely shook when he dug his heels into the ground and gave the swing a little push.

"Hah," Santana said proudly, placing the hammer on the ground and heading towards the swing to sit beside her father, "you have borne an intelligent daughter"

"I might have," he agreed thoughtfully, pulling the sides of his lips down and pushing his lower lip up, "or it might just be this big belly I have got going on here" he said, patting his protruding abdomen proudly.

Santana pretended to gasp in shock, placing a palm against her chest, "you don't think you daughter is intelligent? This is a conspiracy!"  
He could tell she was trying to keep from laughing as they continued their silly exchange.

"You have found me out.." He pretended to whisper and dart his eyes around suspiciously, "you are indeed intelligent."

Santana snaked an arm around her fathers and hugged it as she giggled.

"When did it get so big anyways? Doesn't a cop get copious amounts of exercise? What with all the chasing after criminals?" She asked with a contented sigh after her fit of giggles had started to fade away.

"Yeah, well, it was indeed disappearing until your mother decided to impregnate me yet again"

She snapped her head to look at her father with disbelieving wide eyes before her lips curled into a wide smile and then she was doubling over, thighs against her chest, as she chortled uncontrollably.

Martinez Lopez would supply a few loud laughter every few seconds when Santana's fit of chuckles grew softer and start another string of cachinnation.

She was right. Her father was indeed great at lifting ones spirits.

Of course Santana caught onto the agenda of her father beckoning her over upon her arrival home. To see the new swing he had constructed was one reason, to ask why she was so depressed was definitely the other.

The atmosphere grew heavy after they had settled down from that short moment of merriment but Santana was glad it wasn't anyone else. Her father understood her in so many ways that others couldn't. She thinks it's because fathers and daughters are meant to have such connections but deep inside she knew it was because they were so alike. If she had been male, she'd be an exact replica of Martinez Lopez.

She watched with faux interest at her fidgeting thumbs as the left scratched the nail of the right finger, the hairs at the left of her neck standing from the intense gaze of yellow eyes.

"What happened Miha?" Her father startled her with the gentleness in his tone, which was a complete juxtaposition to his gruff unshaven exterior.

She chanced a glance to her left and returned her gaze to her fingers. This confrontation had already happened, why did she need to go through such torture twice fold?

"Puck had already lectured me Papi." She offered in a controlled voice. Her patience was already at it's thinnest. Sure, it was her fault for having dragged this matter up for so long, but she more than made up for the lost time by running around town to search for an elusive teenager with a heavy heart. The equation consisted of two hurt parties, but people only seemed to recognize the hurt of one. What about her feelings? Doesn't she get empathy for that?

Still, she knew her father and Puck meant well.

"She came over just now," Martinez Lopez begun, placing a hand to still her frantically fidgeting fingers.

She flinched from the sudden contact and the heat radiating from her father's palm.

"She paced back and forth back and forth outside our house for a few hours. Your Mami and I had no idea what to do."

Santana's heart trembled weakly before returning to thumping routinely against her chest as the image of Brittany pacing back and forth outside her house with glistening cheeks and dull grey eyes flashed behind her eyes.

She pried her eyelids apart.

When had her eyes flitted shut?  
Long enough for tears to collect behind it.

If only she had been here sooner, if only she hadn't been such an imprudent prick, then Brittany wouldn't be hurting up till now, then both hearts wouldn't be wrenching painfully inside the confines of rib cages for a prolong period of time.  
Maybe it wasn't exactly everyone's fault for blaming her. Maybe it really was her fault.

She turned her hand around and grasped her father's huge index finger tightly in a clenched fist as she took in a deep breath- t was almost as if her body was trying to keep both hearts beating.

Martinez Lopez looked down at his trapped index finger with a conflicted heart.  
It was what Santana did when she was little; holding one of his finger in her tiny fist with such strength that sometimes he feels as if his fingers were going to drop off, and he was convinced once or twice that it already had because it had gone completely numb. But he knew it was a way for his precious daughter to keep herself grounded so he hadn't the heart to tell her that his finger could no longer be felt.

Martinez Lopez flung his free arm around the shoulders of his daughter and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

He didn't care that his body was twisted in such an unusual and uncomfortable way, he just wanted his daughter to feel well again.

"Santana," he sighed, resting his chin upon her head and gently rubbing her back with his hand, "why don't you go look for her."

A hick sounded from the broken girl hidden in his embrace and she shifted her head from left to right. It was then that he felt the warmth seeping through the fabric of his shirt and his heart broke for the girl.

"I..I can't find Britt-any" she struggled to say between strangled sobs. "I-I've searched e-every no-nook and cranny o-of Li-Lima but-but" he felt her body quake when air invaded her lungs and she had to swallow audibly before continuing, "I can't find Brittany"

A lone tear escaped from Martinez Lopez's eyes. The worst part of being a father was watching his daughter so emotionally shaken.

"You'll find her," he consoled, voice much lower than before, "you and Brittany always find each other"

* * *

_"MAMI! PAPI!" Screamed the 5 year old Santana as she barged through the door and ran into the arms of her father._

_Martinez Lopez let his arms encircle the toddler as she ran into him with an "oomph" and sent a look to his wife who simply shrugged and crouched down beside them.__He pulled the toddler away and held her at an arm's length._

_ "What happened Miha?" He asked with a worried crease, wiping the rosy cheeks of his child that were warm with fresh tears that were still streaming down her cheeks_

_.__"Sh-she.. SHE TOOK BRITTANY AWAY! SHE TOOK BRITTANY AWAY FROM ME!" She wailed in her high pitched voice, small face scrunched up and eyes tightly shut__._

_He didn't have to inquire to know who she was referring to; Brittany's step mother._

_"Oh baby..." He breathed, kissing the toddler's forehead._

_Little Santana reached her hand out and grasped around blindly. He knew then that she needed something to hold onto and all he could offer was his finger. She latched onto it and held it in a vice grip, causing his finger to go purple at the tip instantly._

_Martinez Lopez hated seeing his daughter so broken. She was still so little. Anger bubbled to his chest then, no one should be allowed to hurt his child.  
__He sucked in a deep breath and said in the most authoritative voice he could muster, "we'll go..."_

_But was cut off by his wife who patted his shoulder before he could end his sentence and shook her head resolutely.__  
__That's right, Brittany's step-mother- as cunning as she was, was the wife of the mayor of Lima. There's no way they could defy her in any way without getting into trouble. Not to mention she had pride the size of ten Limas combined and a crazy need to assert her authority as a reaction to everything._

_"Santana Baby," his wife cooed rubbing a hand up and down the toddler's small back, "you can see Brittany again tomorrow at school. Why don't we have your afternoon nap now and play some board games after you wake up?"_

_Wrong words._

_Santana tore away from her father's embrace and twisted her body to glare at her mother. _

_That was the first of many times they've noticed the way her brown eyes would change into a menacing crimson red and that her fist would start to smoke. When this happened, hours will be spent simply trying to calm the girl down._

_ It was almost impossible to do so, only Santana could calm herself down__._

_"I'm not bathing until I find Brittany! " Her voice was surprisingly terrifying for a little girl and it startled the grown Latina._

_"Don't talk to me like th-"_

_"SANTAANNAAAAA!" Came a voice from outside and Santana's head snapped to the door that was ajar, eyes wide and a smile tugging at her lips._

_It didn't take Maria Lopez long to know who that voice belonged to for no one else could have caused Santana's eyes to turn a crimson red and no one else could have turned it back into a warm chocolate brown instantly by merely appearing before the girl._

_For a moment, she wondered what powers Brittany possessed. Was she an emotion handler? She hadn't heard of one before though._

_Sure enough, a leggy blonde girl bounded into the house with her arms spread out wide. __Santana wasted no time in bolting towards the blonde and wrapped her arms tightly around Brittany's neck._

_Martinez and Maria Lopez crouched by the sidelines and watched as Santana buried her face into the crook of Brittany's neck and started to sniffle softly._

_"It's okay Sanny, it's okay. I'm here. I found you." Whispered Brittany and a string of several other sweet nothings as she threaded her fingers gently down Santana raven hair and kept her other palm pressed protectively against the small of Santana's back. The blonde would twist her head at a weird angle every once in a while and plant a sloppy kiss onto any part of Santana that she could reach._

_Martinez and Maria Lopez turned their heads to look at each other with an eyebrow risen. _

_"Are you seeing this?" Martinez mouthed._

_ His wife nodded her head excitedly with a cheeky smile on her face before scrunching her nose up and mouthing back, "so cute."_

_"How did you get here?" Santana said between hiccups after she had pulled away and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.__Brittany rolled her eyes around with a thoughtful expression on her face, "well... I told the big bulky men that if they touched me I'd tell my father and my father would fire all of them, not the way you would fire them, but make them lose their jobs because he didn't like it when I'm sad and I'm super sad when I don't get to see you" she rambled on and Santana's frown curved a little to the sky at every word._

_She buried her face back into the crook of Brittany's neck after the blonde had stopped talking and took in a deep breath._

_"Mmm" she hummed satisfyingly. "You smell so nice Britt-Britt"_

_The blonde scrunched her nose up and giggled, "not as nice as you do"_

_"Thanks for finding me Brittz" she whispered after a moment of serenity._

_"Mm'mm" Brittany shook her head from left to right in a big petulant motion, _

_"I'll always find you Santana"_

_Santana's arms tightened around the blonde's neck._

_"Will you always find me?" Brittany exhaled, resting her cheek against Santana's temple and closing her eyes blissfully__._

_"No." Santana declared and everyone in the room tensed, Brittany's eyes had snapped open and gone so big,_

_"I'll never ever leave you."_

_And everyone in the room heaved a huge sigh of relief._

_"Dork" accused Brittany._

* * *

"We do don't we" Santana agreed softly, no longer sobbing.

They sat in a comfortable silence- Santana wrapped in a tight embrace by warm bulky arms with her forehead pressed against the shoulder of her father as he hummed a soothing tune. A familiar tune that never failed to warm her heart.

Santana's eyes flitted close as her mind wandered away to a more jovial place for awhile, exhausted from all the emotional chaos raging in her body.

* * *

Her step-mother had been in a foul mood again, inevitably resulting in her being cooped up inside her room with strict orders to the guards outside her door that she was not, under any circumstance, permitted out of her room.

Brittany was sprawled across her bed like a star fish, examining the designs on her ceiling and scratching her cat's head absentmindedly.

Lord Tubbington purred and meowed softly, enjoying the display of affection from his owner.

His eyes snapped open when Brittany sighed and paused the movement of her fingers, before drifting close again when she continued to scratch his head.

"I fought with Santana this morning,"

He purred approvingly.

He never really favored the girl; she was always so rude to him-kicking him and calling him fat.  
He wasn't fat, he was round and it was simply in his genes. Lord Mama Tubbs was fat too and so was Lord Papa Tubbs. At least that's what Brittany said when he felt down about his weight.

"It's not just you, it's your parents as well. And besides! If you weren't round I'd totally not have brought you home"

He nuzzled his head against her hand as he thought about her words.

The only reason why he hasn't sunk his teeth into Santana and bit her until warm blood trickled down the wound and stained his fur, like he had to many other guests, was because the girl noticed how smart Brittany was and he could tell how much the girl treasured his owner. That was a huge plus point because not many people did. Many accused the blonde of being stupid when really, she was the complete opposite. She came up with his name-Lord Tubbington, which was ingenuity at its best, how could anyone ever claim such absurdity!

Also, if he even so much as scratched Santana, Brittany would turn on him.

"I can't believe she locked me up," Brittany lamented, "I need to get to Santana. I bet she's even looking for me now"

Meow, rriao. "Then go to her. I bet you know where she is."

"I do Tubbs and I do want to go to her, but I can't. I can't possibly win a fight with those two guys outside. They're so... So.. Big"

Brittany stretched her arms out in front of her and into the air, spread them apart, then pulsed them back and forth, her lower lip starting to protrude.

Lord Tubbington grunted, "You don't have go through the door. Your step-mother's not smart enough to have surrounded the entire compound with big bulky men. There are other places to leave with"

"Really?," Brittany exclaimed, before looking to the door, fearful that they would've heard her exclamation. She didn't want to attract any attention.

"Like where?" She twisted her body and laid on her side, lowering her head to the cat.

"For instance, the window." He said, standing up and strutting towards the big window located to the right of the gigantic room, letting Brittany's nails scratch him from the tip of his head all the way down his back.

"The window!" She whispered harshly from excitement, looking at Lord Tubbington with cobalts eyes twinkling with hope.

"You are a genius!" She complimented, scrambling off the bed and giving him a kiss on the tip of his head, between his ears.

"Mm, yeah. I know that."

"Thank you Lord Tubbington."

With that, the girl grabbed the white window sill with both hands and heaved herself upon it.

The cat watched Brittany as she manoeuvred and moved to pull her feet onto the sill.

He was crouched and ready to pounce to her aid if she were to ever fall.

But she wasn't even close to requiring aid. Brittany propelled herself towards the big tree right outside the window and grabbed onto the sturdy looking branch closest to her with such astounding agility that mirrored that of a cat.

"Bye Tubbs!" She whispered again, sending her cat one last grateful look before climbing down the tree hastily with fluid arm and leg coordination.

Lord Tubbington leaped onto the window sill and looked down onto the ground with he's breath held, only to heave a sigh of relief when he saw Brittany slipping out the back gate and sprinting off until she could no longer be seen.

"Could've mistaken her for a cat."  
Meow.

* * *

The sky had already gone dark when Brittany reached the wooden fence of Santana's house.

She had gone to their secret hideout earlier on and was disappointed to find that Santana wasn't there. However, Brittany's nose had picked up traces of the wonderful floral scent Santana always wore still lingering in the air and she knew that Santana had indeed been there.

Santana had gone to look for her at where she thought Brittany would surely be at, and the blonde would've been there, if it weren't for that fact that her step-mother had locked her up in her room, again.

She thought she had sent a little heart message to Santana, but apparently it doesn't work when your heart's slightly bruised.

It was routine and practiced from here on out.

Brittany simply had to jump and latch upon the upper sill of the window at the first floor, heave herself up and step upon it, then reach for the lower sill of Santana's window.

Brittany had almost expected Santana to be fast asleep for she could see that the lights in her room weren't on, but Santana wasn't asleep, in fact, she was far from asleep.

When her head peeked out from under and she could catch the full view of Santana room, the first thing her eyes caught was the amorphous shadow sitting a top Santana's bed.

Brittany cocked her head to the side, wondering what the lump on Santana's bed was. Her brows creased as the lump sniffled and groaned, shuffling a bit here and there before a head poked out of the heavy set of quilt.

"I...Orr...y" came the muffled voice and Brittany had to ignore the strain at her calf as she tip toed and strained to hear what the soft voice was saying.

"I'm so so sorry..." Said the voice again, now much clearer. Brittany's body stalled as her heart lurched in her chest.

She wouldn't have mistaken that husky voice for anything in the world, not when it still carried that melodious quality even as it was broken and uttering words of such melancholy.

As if on cue, as if her heart had summoned it, rays of the abnormally bright moonlight flitted into the room and fell squarely upon the lump and cast a huge shadow of Santana upon the floor.

"I...I, I didn't me-mean it.." The girl whimpered, pulling her knees to her chest and hugging it.

Brittany continued to watch in silence as Santana continued to ramble apologises she knew was directed at her, reserved solely for her.

The latina's cheeks were glistening when she moved her head, tilting it down to wipe it dry and allowing Brittany the chance to see the fresh tear trickling down her cheeks in place of the previous one. it looked like a precious piece of opal.

Occupied hands were twitching with the want to reach over and collect them, but releasing her hold upon the window sill will only result in a possible physical injury on her part. From the height she was at, she'd suffer a sprained ankle or a dislocated knee.

"I-it doesn't me-mean I do-don't treasure you" Santana continued to sniffle, this time bringing a foreign article of clothing up to her chest and clutching it tightly.

Brittany's eyes darted to the piece of clothing immediately, the distinct yellow attracting her attention. It wasn't hard to figure the identity of the yellow material that Santana was holding onto as if her life depended on it. The yellow object was a cotton pullover, a simple yellow cotton pullover with an extensive meaning to it.

It was the yellow pullover Brittany had offered to Santana on the first day of Kindergarten. The blonde had been skipping around the playroom where all the children were gathered at to play. Everyone had a playmate except her, but she was perfectly fine on her own, she had always been this way, but she couldn't help but spot a tiny shivering Santana at a dark corner. When she walked over and stood with her height looming over the crouched girl, she was instantly dazzled by the mocha orbs that were incredibly big in size and looking right back at her, not with fear as her stance would suggest, but with defiance.

Santana finally took the pullover after a series of push and pull. Although it took a long while for her to take the pullover, it took forever for her to give it back. The Latina never gave the yellow cotton pullover back, in fact, she wore it to Kindergarten everyday after that.

The blonde had never understood why Santana wore the pullover so much, it was a simple pull over that was widely sold across all of Lima.

But Santana had kept it, and Santana still treats it as a gold bar. Obviously.

Brittany only realized that she was tearing when her vision of everything doubled into faded replicas of the other. The original now hidden by two disfigured images.

The girl let out another straggled sob that she quickly muffled by burying her head into the yellow pullover.

It was then that Brittany realized why her message couldn't be received earlier. It wasn't because her heart was bruised, nor was it because she hadn't wished enough, it was because Santana's heart was completely crushed. Everyone knows something doesn't work when it's spoilt.

"Pl-please don't leave me."

There was no way Brittany could continue listening, so, even though her body was still stiff and reluctant, Brittany heaved herself up and flung her legs over the window sill, landing gracefully upon the floor with a soft thud before crossing the room swiftly and enveloping the sobbing girl in a tight embrace.

Santana let out a gasp when she felt strong arms encircle around her neck.

She was bewildered and puzzled at first, but she didn't stay troubled for long after the strong scent-much like the one on the yellow pullover she was clutching onto previously- of honey and flowers engulfed her nose ten fold. Her body inhaled the scent extensively, taking in as much of the sweet scent as it could until her lungs could no longer expand. The action was instinctual, almost as if the body was merely restoring whatever necessity it had been deprived of.

Not forgetting the golden soft hair of course. It shone like the sun even in the darkest of places.

Brittany shifted herself until she was sitting against Santana's headboard before pulling the Latina onto her until the girl was straddling her waist with ankles interlocked at her back.

Warm hands wasted no time and found it's way to Santana's cheek, cupping it gently. Brittany used her thumbs to wipe away the wet trail on Santana's face.

Blonde eyebrows furrowed with confusion as she watched the fresh new tear trickle down Santana's face, creating yet another wet trail.

"Hey.." Brittany whispered as Santana's eyes moved to look away from Brittany's.

"Hey..." Brittany, said again, ducking her head whilst grazing Santana's cheekbones with her thumbs in a soothing rhythm, urging the brown orbs to meet her own.

When they did, Santana's brows burrowed to meet in the middle immediately and she exhaled sharply through her nose as she started to cry yet again. She started to break yet again.

"I-I'm so, so, so, so, so sorry Brittany." The girl whimpered, shaking her head at herself for condoning such horrible words whilst hanging her head. Her face screwed up, forcing more tears out of her already reddening eyes and her hand reached to Brittany's back and balled the green material tightly in her hands.

"Please don't ever leave me Brittany. I didn't mean to say those words. It-It's just... I just..."

"It's okay San." Brittany reassured, wiping the girl's wet cheeks yet again and moving in to press a gentle kiss to both of her eyes.

The kisses worked like magic and it soothed Santana's eyes that were starting to prick. Brittany's lips felt so warm and so soft against her eyelids.

She allowed her eyes to open slowly, knowing she'd be greeted with the sight of perfection.

Safe to say, Santana wasn't the least disappointed when she met the sparkling cobalt eyes of Brittany that were staring back at her tenderly.

"I know you need time," Brittany begun, "and I'm willing to give you all the time in the world."

Santana smiled at Brittany gratefully.

"If,"

Her smile disappeared at the sudden change of tone.

"If?" She asked carefully.

"If you promise to give me all of you" Brittany was staring at her in all seriousness.

A breath of relief escaped her lungs in a form of a laugh.

"Brittany," Santana inched her face closer to the blonde's, eyes trailing from brilliant blue eyes, down a perfectly sculptured nose and to delicious looking light-pink lips, "I've always been," she breathed against the sensitive skin of Brittany's lips causing the girl to shudder, "and will always be all for you"

She closed the tiny distance between them and pushed her lips gently against Brittany's. It was gentle and sweet as they moved their lips innocently against the other, grazing lethargically over the other.

They pulled away after a long moment of simply acquainting themselves with each other's lips again and rested their foreheads together with similar expressions of bliss on their faces, their breaths exchanging and mixing in the small space between their mouths.

Santana let her head fall to the crook of Brittany's neck and nuzzled her nose against the creamy neck before taking in a deep breath of Brittany's scent again and exhaling contentedly. She kept doing it, inhaling and exhaling, inhaling and exhaling, but before long, she realised the atmosphere around her was changing.

The room was getting windier and windier and the body beneath her had tensed. Something was definitely wrong. This wasn't the first time it has happened either.

She lifted her head to look at Brittany with worried eyes and discovered that Brittany's forehead was glistening with perspiration and her eyes were wide and dazed as it stared at the wall behind Santana.

"Britt," Santana wiped the girl's forehead and pushed her bangs away where it stuck at the side burns because of the perspiration.

"What's wrong?"

Brittany's eyes sprung back to life and it looked at Santana briefly, darted down and then begun to roam around the ceiling. The blonde's chest was raising and falling quickly as her breathing rate escalated.

But why?

Santana was still puzzled.

"C-could you not.. Um... bre-breathe against my neck?" Brittany asked timorously, still not looking at Santana.

Then, Santana felt the legs beneath hers fidgeting.

Oh.

Santana had heard enough of Puck's conquests to know how sensitive ones neck could get, how aroused it could make one feel. Puck, triggered the memory of her talk with said person, and the talk triggered the memory of a certain body part.

Her eyes widened as she finally understood the reason for Brittany's reaction. She gulped and looked down at Brittany's fly..

"F-finger..."

"what?" Brittany asked, still breathing heavily.

"Huh?" Brown orbs were a much darker shade when it looked back up and zoned it upon white skin.

The long plane of creamy skin begun to look extremely inviting and it wasn't planned at all when  
Santana dipped her head and pressed a chaste kiss against Brittany's lips before moving to her jaw and trailing gentle kisses down the blonde's neck slowly.

Brittany swallowed audibly. She didn't know what Santana was doing but she was certainly enjoying it.

"Y-you," Brittany struggled to say, It wasn't exactly an easy feat to speak coherently when a shudder would ride through your body at every brush of plump lips against the sensitive skin of your neck, and Santana was lavishing kisses upon the girl's neck

"you... Said s-something earlier.." She breathed.

"Did I?" Offered the Latina, dragging her slightly moist lips up the spots she had just kissed.

"M-mmhmm." Stammered Brittany who nodded her head eagerly up and down, more to Santana's ministrations at the plane of her neck than her display of affirmation towards Santana's question, and titled her head to the left to expose more of her neck for Santana.

"Whatever you're doing don't stop.." Pleaded Brittany.

The Latina smiled against the soft skin for a moment before she allowed her tongue to dart out briefly to taste the now bumpy flesh. She hummed with approval when Brittany tasted just as wonderful as she smelled. Brittany's taste was indescribably sensational, with that undeniable tinge of sweetness you could never find anywhere else in the world and Santana's sure it'll beat even the fruits from the magical garden everyone have spoken so highly of.

"The fruits, they carry a portion of heaven. They could save lives" they would say but Santana says, "Brittany. Brittany's heaven"

Santana's hands wandered from being clasped behind Brittany's back to running up and down the girl's sides slowly, enjoying the curves of Brittany's body and the warmth radiating from it.

She let her front teeth graze lightly against Brittany's jaw, and then dragged it up to Brittany's ear before sticking her tongue out to bring Brittany's ear lobe in between her teeth and bit down on it.

A sharp inhalation of air invaded Brittany's lungs when a shudder rode through her body and a sharp sting shot down her spine.

"D-did I hurt you?" Santana pulled away abruptly to look at Brittany. She hated how she lost herself too much too easily when it came to Brittany, especially since Brittany's the one she wanted to keep from hurting the most.

Instead of replying though, the girl smiled softly at Santana, running her eyes down the Latina's features and appreciating every single thing her eyes landing on. Santana really was very very beautiful.

Thump thump, tha-thump, thump thump, tha-thump. Her heart fluttered in her chest when she realised how Santana had just declared all of herself to her earlier.

"Mine..." She breathed, dragging her knuckles lightly across Santana's cheeks.

Brittany touched the curve of Santana's jaw and moved forward to capture Santana's lips with hers.

Santana gasped in shock from the response, allowing Brittany to slip her tongue into the girl mouth and eliciting a moan from both girls.

They both reveled in the fact that every kiss they shared, no matter how frequent or how simple the action may seem, always managed to become so much more special when done with one another.

Their tongues pushed and retreated, tracing the outline of each other's mouths and tasting as much of the other as they could.

They made out for awhile, lethargically slipping their lips over the other and trading saliva before Santana pulled away and pressed their foreheads together for the umpteenth time that hour.

Even though their actions were slow, breathing would always become a necessity. They took in laboured breaths, chest raising and falling with a matching rhythm as they caught their breaths.

"You're so beautiful." Came a voice

. It wasn't clear who had said it

maybe Santana?

Maybe Brittany?

Or maybe both?

Santana started to trail kisses down the blonde's face. Beginning from her forehead, to the left eye and then the right, to the bridge of the sharp nose to the tip of it, finally reaching the lips where she pressed a long kiss to before moving down again.

Santana retracted her legs from around Brittany when her position started to restrict her journey down, and patted the blonde's thighs for Brittany to get her legs from under her and to spread it apart so she could sit on the bed, not once stopping her actions on Brittany's body.

Brittany complied without a second of doubt and opened her legs until Santana's butt landed onto the soft bed.

Santana shuffled backwards after an utterance of gratitude and pressed a kiss to the dip between Brittany's collar bone and trapping what little bit of flesh it had in between her teeth. She bit down on it lightly as she did the ear lobe but licked it to sooth the bite later on.

Brittany's breath hitch in her throat.

She continued to move down and grunted in frustration when her next kiss was placed on a foreign rough material instead. She pulled back and opened her eyes with her brows furrowed in vexation at the greenish-brown material of Brittany's old army shirt.

Quickly, she brought her fingers up from the girl's waist to the circular button that held the cloth together but stopped abruptly.

"Can I?" Her voice was particularly low and husky when she looked up to catch Brittany's darkened blue eyes that were already staring back at her as if it had been the whole time, and asked for permission to remove the girl's shirt.

Brittany's eyes widened when she realized what Santana had been asking. Her eyes glided down to her shirt and the tanned fingers that were already positioned above the green buttons and then back to Santana's sexy mocha orbs.

Blonde hair bounced up and down gleefully when she nodded her head vigorously.

Santana grinned at Brittany before proceeding to unbutton the first button of Brittany's shirt and then the next and then the next. At the third button her eyes fell upon the silky skin of Brittany's chest where it had been spread across the blondes of her rib-cage and her index finger kept sliding off the rounded edges of the button, failing to latch onto it and push it through the hold.

Her fingers were trembling.

It was then that she realized just how nervous she was.

What if Brittany didn't like it? What if what she was doing was harming Brittany? What if she made Brittany barren for life? Was she even going to go there? What happens next?

Brittany looked down at Santana with confusion set in her features when she felt that Santana had stopped fumbling with the buttons of her shirt. Santana was staring at nothing in particular with her eyes glazed over and her fingers were obviously trembling while suspended in mid air.

Brittany, being Brittany, understood instantly what the problem was; Santana wasn't ready for this.

So, even though the throbbing between her thighs was unbearable and her body was screaming at her to urge Santana on, she lifted her left leg and closed her legs by shifting it towards her right and slid her body down until she was no longer resting against the headboard.

Santana jolted from her reverie upon feeling movement and the sudden lost of contact. She turned her head around to search for the body that had disappeared from its position in front of her and paused to look down when she felt a tug upon her shirt.

Brittany was already lying down properly upon the bed on her side with her head held up by her left arm and was looking up at her with those glimmering blue eyes.

"Come on," urged Brittany, patting the space beside her, "lay down next to me. You're way too far away"

Santana's confusion morphed into adoration at Brittany's combination of utter beauty and adorable petulance as she whined and pouted, all the while, her eyes were twinkling and glimmering with the most mesmerizing shade of brilliant blue she'd only ever been able to see in the eyes of Brittany.

She felt drawn to the girl and complied to the muscles twitching in her body, settling down beside Brittany on her side as well.

"You're so beautiful Brittany. Has anyone ever told you that?" She whispered into the silent night.

Brittany's eyes crinkled at little at the sides as she allowed a huge bashful smile to appear on her face. "Yes. I hear them come out of these," she leaned forward and gave Santana a short kiss on her lips before pulling away, "wonderful lips all the time and that's cause you're such a sap" she scrunched her nose.

"Mm-mm" Santana shook her head, crumpling the bed sheet in-between them and then shifting her head closer so their foreheads were touching, "that's cause you really are beautiful. The most beautiful in the world" Santana pushed forward and nudged Brittany's nose with hers.

"Wow, then I must be lying next to Aphrodite." Replied Brittany.

Santana rolled her eyes playfully and pulled her head away-ignoring the way Brittany whimpered immediately-so she could see all of Brittany's face, "I am not more beautiful than you, no one is" she argued defensively.

Brittany pressed her lips together and sighed through her nose before putting a hand at the back of Santana's neck and snaked her arm underneath the girl's waist and pulled Santana against her completely. She bobbed the tip of Santana's nose with her right hand, "don't ruin the moment San." Snaking her thigh in between the girl's legs to pull her even closer even though it hardly seemed possible for they were practically already one being-the line that determined where the bronze starts and blonde begins being negligible.

Santana giggled and shifted before relaxing her body into the blonde's completely.  
"Mmm." She hummed, eyes closing and opening as she tried her best to stay awake. Crying does require a lot of energy, but certainly not as much as being away from Brittany for so long. With both factors combined, she wonders how she had even survived the day.

"This hasn't ended yet though... We'll continue the debate tomorrow.." She whispered, voice soft and obviously somnolent, nuzzling their noses together in a slow and sleepy motion and taking in a deep breath when Brittany's sweet breath washed over her face.

"Go to sleep San. Don't fight it." Brittany convinced, pushing Santana's fringe away from her face so she could take a good look at the girl.

Santana pried her eyes open. She didn't want to sleep just yet. Not when there's such perfection before her very eyes.

What if she fell asleep and it slips away?

"C-could you sing to me?" She asked, remembering what her father used to do when he needed to reassure her that he wouldn't go away even as she fell asleep.

Her heart fluttered in her chest as she marveled in the way Brittany's eyes was sparkling. The blue irises were shining with such intensity and if you looked closer, you'd notice shades of other colors dotted into the mix-green, orange and white. Santana wonders if her heart would always flutter from the sight, then she felt rather dumb. Of course it would, her heart had been tuned to do so ever since she had laid eyes on those magical orbs.

She felt light pressure against her cheeks as Brittany's cheeks bunched up from the smile on her face.

"Of course San. Although it might not be as nice as your voice. Yours is sexy"

"Damn right..." Breathed Santana almost inaudibly and allowing her heavy eyelids to win the small battle.

Santana moved her hand lethargically, pulling it away from Brittany's back and moving it down, following the arm of Brittany as her guide to the girl's hands and threaded their fingers together.

"Thanks for finding me again Britt-Britt.."

"Always, Santana. Always." She pressed a kiss to the soporific girl's lips and squeezed their connected hands.

As Brittany's voice wafted through the silent night and reverberated off the walls, Santana realized just how wrong she was.

"_The moment I wake up,__  
__Before I put on my make up,__  
__I say a little pray for you_"

For the first time that day, Santana's frenzied and irregular heart started to slow and was now peacefully pulsing in regularity.

"_While combing my hair now,__  
__And wondering what dress to wear now,__  
__I say a little prayer for you_"

Every tremble and waver of her voice was made perfect sung in Brittany's voice.  
Santana's sure she would never ever forget this song.

Brittany had the voice of an angel.

Santana drifted blissfully off to sleep with a beatific smile on her face.

_Forever, and ever, you'll stay in my heart.__  
__And I will love you._

* * *

There you go! i really hope you enjoyed it (: leave your views and critics!

i'll be honored to answer any of your questions as well.

BYEE (:


	4. Chapter 4: Of Answers and Realization

**A/N: **Sorry for the late late LAAAAAATE update. I was having a national examination,it's important for my future so... i hope you didn't give up on me from all the waiting I put you through. Anyways, I still have a few papers coming up so if this chapter is plagued with mistakes I sincerely apologize (:

**Disclaimer:** I DONT OWN ANYTHING.

* * *

Chapter 4: Of Answers and Realization

It was just breaking dawn, the peeking sun illuminating the sky a dull orange and lightening up the room just enough to enable Santana the ability to see the brown parchments she had pinned above her desk, diagonally opposite the bed in which she currently laid.

She had awoken rather abruptly just before dawn, just before the sky had developed into the dull orange and way before the time Santana normally awoke. She was sure her body was protesting, but her mind just wouldn't condone a slumber and instead filled itself with undesirable, melancholic thoughts.

Her mind wouldn't stop replaying the debacle that occurred yesterday-albeit it was completely caused by her inability to appreciate the beauty right in front of her- she couldn't shake off the feeling that she had done the right thing; shooting down the prospect of her and Brittany having a relationship that was anymore than friends, even if she didn't quite believe the opinion she stood so strongly for herself.

What Brittany and her shared, is it's true nature really platonic? Undoubtably, the line separating the two completely different relationship; different levels of intimacy, was so blur in their connection that it was almost inexistent. And while it had no effect on Puck, or Brittany, or Sam, or Tina Cohen Chang-with parents from the east where she and all the children of Lima have heard ghastly recounts of dominating parents exerting the power they had as guardians over their children to it's fullest potential- it scared her completely, for it was taboo… wasn't it?

Santana didn't not know what to think, let alone what to do, all the had to work with was how she felt. She adored Brittany, harbored such ardent feelings towards the blonde beauty, such... undeniable feelings towards the blonde that, she feels feeling the same way for another would be a thought vastly inconceivable. There wasn't a single doubt in her mind that she loved Brittany, but what she didn't know was, what was love? Yes, it was a strong emotion that famous novels always portrayed in flamboyant english; yes what her parents shared was love and love was also what she shared with her parents, so clearly, love came in many different types, or genres if you will; just like music.

But music wasn't love, nor was love music, surely there was love for music. (there another genre of _love_ to add to the long list stringing out in Santana's already overwhelmed brain)

Clearly, it was easy to simply feel what you….feel, but why was it always so hard to _know _what that feeling is?

She turned her head and body to face Brittany, cautious not to wake the girl up.

If her heart was pounding against her chest from the anxiousness of waking Brittany up, then she had no way to describe the frantic, erratic thumping against her chest when Brittany's breath washed over her face as a sweet, musky scent and when her sight finally fell on the peacefully slumbering blonde.

Santana didn't know how long she'd been awake and brooding, but it must've been for quite awhile for the sky had lit up from it's dull cantaloupe to a dazzling deep orange, evidence of the Sun that was now hanging in the middle of sky and earth; as if it didn't know which direction to head. A squadron of light beams had invaded the room as a result, hitting the wooden expanse of her bedroom floor and played against the blonde's face; defining the contours of Brittany's face. It gave Brittany's blonde locks and cream colored face a shining glow that was a stark contrast against the darkness Santana's peripheral vision was able to pick up, giving the blonde an ethereal like beauty.

Brittany was a picture of an angel sent down to save the ugly world in which they lived in, a marvelous gift given by the man in the sky.

Enthralled. Riveted. Mesmerized.

Was Santana.

It was more than enough to send Santana's senses and heart into a heightened frenzy, and it was more than enough to kick start her overactive mind that was so infuriatingly inquisitive.

Again, the questions started to flow and jumble the map of Santana's life into a mess. Santana had to snap her lids together and screw her eyes shut for the sight of Brittany was inducing too many feelings for her to think coherently.

It was almost like a mocking sneer when she heard the question in her mind, "so, what _do_ you share with Brittany?"

Just like every other question that carried too much weight ;that was too overwhelming to be contained, Santana breathed it out before she could stop herself.

"what are we Brittany?"

It was so soft and Santana wouldn't have thought it was but a mere thought in her mind if it wasn't that Brittany's forehead creased against hers where they had pressed it together and she stirred in Santana's arms.

Santana's body tensed, afraid that she had awoken Brittany, or rather that Brittany had heard her question. But the blonde simply nuzzled her face against Santana's, with the tips of their nose tickling against each other; the way she always did to provide the reassurance only she was able to give in the darkest of hours and mumbled something incoherently before her breathing returned to it's peaceful rhythm once again, the tell-tale sign that she was still comatose.

Santana couldn't pick out the string of incoherent words Brittany had mumbled in her sleepy haze, but Santana knew without a shadow of doubt, that it was the answer to Santana's question. Brittany _always_ had the answers.

_"what are we Brittany?"_

* * *

The next time she awoke was to an incessant knocking of what seemed like hammer against wood.

_knock knock knock_

Santana had only been able to fall asleep just moments ago; a peaceful unconsciousness after all that chaos that was raging through her mind. Her mind was tired, exhausted to be exact, and the slumber was greatly welcomed, if not to rid her body of it's exhaustion then to it was to make sure Brittany didn't have to worry about Santana when she awoke later for Brittany would be sure to realize something was off from the discolored skin beneath Santana's eye and the Latina wouldn't appreciate the questions that would've been sure to ensue. Santana really didn't want to hurt Brittany with her inability to just…be, like Brittany had always been able to do. Hurting Brittany with her selfish inability to allow other people to conceive them as more than friends was the last thing she wanted to do on Brittany's birthday.

She wondered what it would be like to live in Brittany's ever-blissful mind.

A bronze colored hand reached out slowly, aimed at the stray blonde lock touching Brittany's lids. It would surely be a hindrance once Brittany awoke.

_knock knock knock_

The knocking came back again and Brittany whined in annoyance, tearing her body away from Santana's embrace and buried her face into the pillow, slipping her arms beneath the pillow as she turned to lay on her abdomen.

Santana barely had time to mourn her loss, instead, she giggled at Brittany's darling display of petulance and dropped her hovering hand to the space between them.

Brittany's groggy mind registered that heavenly sound and instantly, her body chose to seek it's origin over the delicious sleep that was pulling her back into it's comfortable arms. She twisted her head a little, revealing only half her face whilst keeping the other half hidden in the maroon colored cushion.

Santana watched as Brittany's one eye cracked open; a deep coloured blue peeked out from beneath heavy lids.

Santana's breath hitched at her throat and her heart rate quickened tremendously at the sight of those magical orbs.

Brittany absolutely loves it when Santana looked at her that way; with twinkling chocolate brown orbs that exuded what she could only describe as a world filled with affection. Santana was a world she'd always want to live in.

Her eye flittered close again when she felt warm full lips plant a soft kiss against her temple and sleep took hold of her once again.

"S'ana"

Santana's smile widened at the girl's acknowledgement, albeit it was merely a soft utterance. Even in blissful slumber, she was not forgotten.

"sleep Brittany. I'm here," she reassured, threading her fingers through Brittany's golden hair.

A tiny smile, then Brittany was snoring lightly again.

_Knock Knock Knock_

The beatific atmosphere diminished into the air.

Santana's brow furrowed in annoyance. What was that maddening knocking?

She shot a glare towards the door and decided it investigate.

The Latina pulled her back straight until she was sat up; back cracking a little as the knacks that had developed overnight unlocked. Slowly and as gently as her numb body would allow, she slid to the edge of the bed, steadied herself on the ground -hissing as the frosty floor defiled her warm, bare foot- and tiptoed out into the hallway, but not before turning around and checking to see if Brittany had woken up.

She wanted to be back before she awoke, officially anyways.

Brittany was still soundly asleep, if the light snoring she emitted was any indication.

_knock knock knock_

Her barefoot padded soundlessly upon the polished wooden floor as she sets out to investigate the genesis of the knocking, hoping to the man in the sky that it wasn't Mrs Pierce and her physically unparalleled lackeys. Surely she'd allow Brittany a day of freedom, seeing as today was the blonde's birthday.

_Knock knock knock_

The sound that had been plaguing the house and rendering a halcyon morning out of question grew louder as she moved stealthily down the narrow hallway, past her parent's bedroom that still had it's door closed and towards the last bedroom at the end of the hallway; right beside the winding staircase that led to the dining hall.

Her heart hammered warningly against her chest as the gap of the door that had been left ajar came into sight and she slowed her advance, proceeding cautiously.

She was ready to fight as best as she could, put her burning fists to use if she had to. Santana wasn't going to allow Mrs Pierce or Mrs Fake-Pierce the joy of causing blue eyes to blur with tears, not on Brittany's birthday.

"no," she breathed, shaking her head resolutely, "not ever."

Her fists clenched as she puffed her chest out and stood a little taller. Whoever it was, she was going to stand up to it. For Brittany. yes. for brittany.

The sweat gathering in her tightly clenched fists greatly betrayed the bravado stance her body had so automatically taken at the thought of protecting Brittany.

It seems that all that was for naught though, for as she approached the room-she could almost see inside the room through the tiny gap between the door and the wall- a familiar, domestic heat tickled the base of her palm that had subconsciously heated up as she closed the distance between her and her destination.

This time it wasn't out of fear, or anger, or anxiousness that she peeked; more daringly this time, into the gap.

Unsurprisingly she saw the back of her father's brute figure. He was stood to his full height, balancing his heavy top upon the balls of his disproportionally smaller feet. Santana was afraid his feet would snap.

His right arm was stretched to the sky as he reached for something way above his height, groaning as he pushed himself higher yet.

_Knock knock knock_

The sound surprised Santana. She knew it came from the room, but what could her father possibly be working on? A new crib? Was her mother pregnant? No. He wouldn't have built a crib that had side fences _that_ tall, although she did burn through the ones on hers.

Oh, what was she doing, playing 20 questions with herself and burdening her mind with useless thoughts when she could simply ask. She shook her head at her stupidity.

she pushed the door open slightly, careful not to startle the diligently working Mr Lopez.

Martinez Lopez dropped down to his feet when he heard the door creak open. He wasn't surprised, he had sensed the heat earlier.

"What are you doing Pap?" Santana asked, voice a careful whisper.

Martinez Lopez simply side stepped to allow his daughter a full view of his creation. The contraption that would be the saving grace of his family when the time comes. He knows it'll be soon.

Santana's brows furrowed as she walked towards the wooden wall that looked nothing but ordinary; it was identical to every other wall in the house.

She turned to look at her father with eyes that were skeptical yet filled with a child like curiosity.

"what's this?"

"this," he smiled proudly and crossed his arms across his chest just as he always did when he knew his work would be of worth, "is going to save us all."

"oh?" she said skeptically as she ran her eyes across the wall, seeing nothing but a wall that was identical to every other in the house. But as she stepped closer, she felt it.

She felt the intense heat radiating from the portion of the wall her father had been seen working at earlier and some burning the soles of her bare feet as well. It was a juxtaposition to the frost like floor she had been walking upon before.

"oh" she breathed this time.

"mmhmm," her father hummed, nodding his head and inspecting his invention.

He raised his arm, catching Santana's attention with the movement and pointed to a point of the wall he had been straining to reach earlier. "From here," and then he dragged him arm down until a few inches behind Santana's heel, "to here, is a space that we can hide in when we have to."

She didn't have to ask, she knew exactly what her father was referring to. Santana wasn't spared from the red page at the back of the newspaper; the red page that would be stapled to the redundant advertising page that concluded 'Lima's Daily', the page that every parent feared to read, all children was forbidden from ever setting their eyes upon. Santana Lopez wasn't offered that spurious bliss. Her parents didn't believe in deceit for protection from the chaos and purges the world was subjected to just to preserve what little innocence their child might still have.

The truth is the truth and Santana _will_ grow to learn that truths are almost always terrifying.

She stretched a curious hand towards the wall, drawn to the heat she could feel from behind the wall. Santana had never felt so much heat energy at once before, she wanted to know if it would sting her nerve endings that had grown so accustomed to heat.

A hard grip upon her wrist stopped her hand and she looked to her father with wide shocked eyes.

He had a hard, stern look upon his aged face that she wasn't used to seeing, so she was stunned in place, silent as her ears picked up every syllable of whatever her father was about to say for his eyes explained that it was going to be an instruction she would need to remember.

"this hide away can only be opened by you, me and Maria."

"h-how?"

"it's sealed by Lopez's flame and thus can only be unsealed by it," he explained, shrugging.

Santana was intrigued, she had never been told of such a thing before.

"Now listen Santana. Listen carefully to what i've got to say next and promise me you'll remember it. Do you promise?"

She gulped anxiously; excitedly.

"It can only be opened thrice," her eyes grew ever so bigger, "You, me and your mami do you understand? no one can open it up after the third time. No one."

His gaze was hard and unquestionable. Santana guesses this is the Martinez Lopez that's sent against the hoodlums and thugs that threatened to defile Lima.

but one question popped up, "what about Brittany?" surely he hadn't forgotten.

His gaze falters and brown orbs shifted to the right before meeting hers again, guilty yet sorry.

"i…i wouldn't have enough energy to seal it if i were to allow access to another. If i can't seal it, it would be completely useless, it wouldn't be able to serve it's purpose."

"why didn't you ask me to lend you some of mine?" she asked, mocha orbs shining with defiance.

"It doesn't work that way Miha. If your energy where to be used I'd have to ki-kill you," his voice wavered at that monstrosity of a word, "only then will our blood ties allow your energy to be passed on to me, just as Aunty Berma's was passed on to you when _she_ passed away."

His grip on her wrist softens as a tear escaped her eye.

"I'm so sorry Miha…" he whispered, eyes glazing over with moisture as well.

Santana was angry, she was mad, she was positively furious but she couldn't blame her father. He tried his best, she knew he did.

"I-it's okay pa. I know you tried." she offered a timid smile up at her father. Brittany was the mayor's daughter anyways, she'd probably be protected at a much more prestigious degree, she wouldn't need any magical compartments to hide in.

How selfish she was being, getting angry over the fact that she and Brittany would be separated.

"It's okay pa," her smile strained to widen when Matinez Lopez's face remains etched in hurt and she proceeds to stand on the balls of her feet to press a kiss to her father's wrinkled cheek. Her heart seemed to have dropped a little as she felt it's callous texture against her lips, "thanks and love you."

* * *

When Santana tip-toed back to the room, shut the wooden door as silently as she could and crawled into the comfort of her bed again, the sun had risen the highest it could rise and hung in the sky in all it's blindingly glory.

The sky was now a light blue with dark chirping dots cutting across it at a speed that was foreign to man and the pebbled lane leading to the market was now filled with familiar looking Lima residents riding on the back of their horses and cows.

The town has awoken.

Brittany appeared to still be soundly asleep, her position not having changed one bit since Santana left the room. But Santana couldn't be fooled, not when she knew Brittany like a child's book she reads everyday. She probably knew the blonde hair, blue eyed teenager with a much greater familiarity then she understood herself.

Santana could tell that Brittany's breathing had changed, it was too… pretentious, too perfectly timed to be deemed an involuntary action spurred on by an unconscious mind, and Brittany's exhalations were always much longer when she was genuinely asleep. She had spent copious amounts of time listening to the soothing breathing of a peacefully slumbering Brittany before to know if Brittany was simply pretending.

And the girl was pretending.

For what? Santana was interested to know, hence, she decided not to disclose Brittany's subterfuge, yet.

She settled on her side, keeping a watchful eye out for a flaw in her feigning.

A few moments passed and Brittany hadn't so much as cracked her eye open to gauge Santana's movements. She had remained absolutely motionless.

Brittany had always been a person with great patience, her status as Santana's long term best friend was evidence enough of the reservoir of endless patience her heart undeniably held. Santana on the other hand, was starting to get fidgety.

The silence was getting unnerving.

_Why on earth was Brittany pretending to sleep?_

Santana's slight annoyance from her immense lack of patience spurred the devious mind of hers to conjure a million ways to divulge Brittany's pretense.

The Latina slowly lowered herself from laying on her side until her back was flush against the mattress. Santana yawned exaggeratedly, making it seem as if she had just awoken, and stretched her limbs as far as they could go she felt her knuckle bump lightly against Brittany nose; her cold feet purposely contacting against Brittany's toasty feet.

A scrunched could be felt against the flesh of her knuckle and she smirked.

She waited.

Nothing.

Santana exhaled sharply through her nose as her brow furrowed with raising vexation.

Well, two can play at this game and Santana definitely wasn't one to pull out of any challenge.

She retracted her limbs, pulling them against her body as she conjured up energy from the pit of her stomach and flung her body onto Brittany's seemingly slumbering form. She ended with her front pressed against the blonde's side; forehead fitting snuggly against the dent of Brittany's jaw and neck. Santana felt like a star fish with her limbs limp at her sides, her right dangling off the bed.

The neck on which her forehead was resting on vibrated when a choke reverberated from it, effectively suppressing the raising giggle.

Santana's lips stretched against Brittany's shoulder.

Brittany remained unmoving.

* * *

Brittany had been trying her best to withhold what started off as a small fit of giggles but had now developed into a laughter bomb of epic proportions when Santana started to playfully convulse against her body as if she was having a fit. The blonde had been worried for a milli second or two that Santana was, in actuality, having a fit but her constant giggling gave her away.

Brittany _still _didn't budge, she was being surprisingly persistent today.

Santana huffed, got up from Brittany's body and walked out the door pretending to have given up.

Of course she hadn't.

Not a second later, she budged into the room screaming, "FIRE! BRITTANY THERE'S A FIRE IN THE HOUSE."

Footsteps could be heard padding in rapid succession towards Santana's room before a concerned voice asked, "fire? where? where's th-"

"oh, no Mami, i was just dreaming."

"dreaming at the foot of the bed?" her mother's tone laced with sheer mockery, "we'd better give your sleeping habits a check Miha."

* * *

Brittany pictured the way Santana was failing her arms around wildly in an attempt to make her exclamation as realistic as possible and then the sudden contortion of her expression into one of unclouded embarrassment.

She knew Santana was aware of her complete consciousness and was simply taking upon the challenge of not succumbing to her antics, no matter how amusing or adorable they were.

Frankly though, Brittany could almost feel her determination dissolving.

Santana had always claimed that Brittany's pout was an unfair tact to pull out for it would cause her resolve, no matter how tenacious it may have seemed previously, to crumble at the mere sight of Brittany's signature pout. However, Brittany has got it worse. Santana's _everything_ rendered her determination a lackey of hers, manipulating it every which way that would cause Santana to benefit in one way or another; strong at times, completely nonexistent at times.

_what was her simple pout against Santana's flawless everything?_

As Brittany was occupying her mind with unpleasant thoughts -Lord Tubbington and his new thug friend, that she totally didn't approve of, hanging around at the alley way behind Bread Stix and desecrating their precious tiny cat lungs with stolen cigars again- to lock out all the embarrassingly adorable actions of her best friend and prolong her already decreasing determination, her breath was knocked out of her chest as Santana unsuspectedly pounced upon her and straddled her hips.

Brittany stared wide eyed at the girl, wondering what was happening and how Santana'd managed to flip her unto her back with a simple pounce.

Santana's brown eyes were pooling with dark triumph and deviousness when she stared right back at Brittany with a smirk, the sides of her eyes wrinkling.

"well, well, well, look who decided to wake up?"

Brittany huffed, shoulders sagging defeatedly against the maroon covers of Santana's bed.

"a'ight. Me," she said dejectedly.

"well let's see," Santana begun, eyes drifting to the ceiling, "you slept through a punch and a kick, i totally went china martial arts on you just now."

"oh did you now?" Brittany asked, an eyebrow raising in amusement.

"mmhmm, you should check out the bruise on your nose, it's the size of your step-mother's ego" Santana replied smugly.

Brittany sucked her lips into her mouth to keep from chortling.

"And you slept through my fit. I could've been having a genuine heart attack Britt. What if I wasn't just jesting? It really breaks my heart that you didn't care." Santana complained with a petulant jut of her lower lip.

Brittany allowed a giggle this time, raising her index finger and thumb to pinch Santana's protruding lower lip.

_Squeeze. Release. Squeeze._

"no one giggles while having a heart attack San. People giggle when they're happy and having a heart attack isn't exactly something someone would rejoice over."

Santana didn't say anything, except sat completely silent with the pout still set in place and Brittany's fingers will keeping her lower lip captive.

_Squeeze. Release. Squeeze. Release._

Just when Brittany was about to question the girl's silence, she opened her mouth with a series of words she couldn't understand.

"I can'k skeak o'erly wik 'ou inching wy i'k, Wi'k"

Brittany frowned. "you know i don't speak fire tribe language San. I'm not from roasta rico remember?"

Santana wrapped her fingers around Brittany's wrist and pulled her hand away from her lip, sucking it into her mouth and wetting it before she spoke. "I said, 'I can't speak properly with you pinching my lip Britt' and I've told you, I've been in Lima all my life, that's how we met. It's puerto rico Britt, not roasta rico"

She pushed her fingers through the gaps between Brittany's and allowed their interlaced hands to fall limp against the sheets.

Santana was always able to correct Brittany without it sounding the least bit demeaning, without a single tone that implied that Santana thought Brittany was daft, because she didn't.

"no, it's _Roasta_ rico San. And are you sure you're not?," the blonde was feeling a whole lot of confused, "but Mr Weiiserman down the streets told me that Puerto rico's where all the 'smokin hot' girls were, so I just assumed that at some point in your life you were from there. You should trust him, Mr Weiiserman. He's really wise, in like a… homeless man way"

Her heart swelled in her chest as she looked affectionately at the confused blonde. It was in these unadulterated, completely innocent times she shared with Brittany that reminded her she wasn't the only one harboring all these disconcerting strong feelings towards another.

"why don't you ask me?" Brittany asked, tugging at their hands after a moment of silence was passed between the two. Her voice was softer this time and a small smile was spread across her flawless face.

Santana shook her head to clear it of the overwhelming feelings, or rather overwhelming affection for her best friend.

"Ask what Britt?"

"Ask me why I was pretending to be asleep even though I wasn't"

Santana eyes widened in realization. That's right.

"Why? Why were you pretending to sleep?"

Brittany brought their hands to her face and flipped them so that the back of Santana's hand was pressing against her lips, "so that I'll know you'll never give up on me. Even if it was something as ridiculous was waking me up."

_Ta-Thump._

It wasn't the first time at all that her heart skipped a beat.

How could anyone be so incredibly smart?

Santana leaned down and pressed their lips together in a short kiss, "I'd never, ever, give up on you. And that's a promise."

"neither will I, you." Brittany whispered, straining her neck forwards to pushed their lips together harder.

And that, was the real message Brittany was trying to convey.

* * *

Santana squeezed her lids together to keep her tears prickling her eyes from falling and pushed her lips against Brittany's to keep it from quivering.

Her lips parted a little as Brittany's tongue tickled her bottom lip, tracing the curve of it. Santana had expected the warm muscle to slip through her lips and entrance her with it's extraordinarily addictive taste, but Brittany allowed her head to fall against the pillow and gently nudged Santana away.

"okay, since you got to ask me a question earlier, I get to ask you one in return," Brittany proclaimed with all seriousness.

"but it was you who prompted me to a-"

"it's only fair Santana" a tone, one of finality.

"alright." the girl sighed sitting up straighter. She really just wanted to continue their kissing parade.

"so why did you keep the yellow sweater?"

This caught Santana completely off-guard. Her eyes have grown to the size of baseballs; or so she felt anyways. She hadn't expected the question at all.

"ye-yellow sweater?" she repeated hesitantly.

It wasn't so much that she was afraid that Brittany would think she was a stalker for keeping it, but it had more to do with the discomfiture that was sure to ensue if she told Brittany why she had been so adamant in wearing it to school everyday after Brittany had so graciously offered it to her.

"Yeah. Why did you keep wearing it after? I thought you didn't like it. You said yellow and ducks weren't really your 'thing'" she hooked her index finger and middle finger of her free hand for air quotation marks.

Santana's brown orbs were a picture of exasperation and embarrassment as it darted everywhere else in the room except the expecting ones of Brittany's.

"Come on, you know I'll always think you're cute" Brittany reassured, tightening her hold on the girl's hand.

Santana's eyes had soften when it looked back at Brittany's ever-calm blue eyes.

"I..Dont laugh okay?"

Brittany nodded.

"I-I wanted to make sure you remembered me okay?" she confessed with much difficulty.

Brittany continued to remain silent. When Santana met her eyes, she raised a blonde eyebrow as if to say, "i know that's not all"

Santana rolled her eyes, "I thought that wearing the yellow sweater everyday would get you to continue talking to me, because I-I've never met someone as bright and beautiful as you were, even back then you were such a beacon of happiness and i really didn't want to lose yo-"

Brittany had so swiftly pulled herself up and pushed her lips against Santana's, tilting her head to the right to prevent their noses from knocking.

Her heart had begun thumping against her chest increasingly as she heard Santana's rambling that was nothing but moving. It thumped, and thumped and thumped and before she knew it, her body had gravitated towards Santana's.

"mmm" Santana hummed in that low voice of hers she had always used to convey that message that she appreciated the gesture.

Brittany pulled away; not completely though for she had started to shower Santana's lips with ardent pecks that were pushing Santana backwards, "thank you," she whispered, "thank you Santana", her hands slipped to support Santana's back.

Santana really wanted to know why Brittany was thanking her for conscientiously wearing the yellow sweater back then, and so fervently at that. If anything the blonde should be feeling creeped out, or amused. She almost had to reluctantly pull back from the hard yet delicate lips that were constantly being planted onto hers in such mind-blowing kisses, but Brittany answered the question before she had to, seemingly reading Santana's thoughts.

"Thanks to tiny stalker you, my life's gotten a perfect addition."

When hot breath washed over Santana's face and the lips that were against hers tightened in what Santana knew was a lop-sided smile, whatever willpower the Latina had in keeping her tears contained completely dissolved.

The fire burning vehemently in her chest simply couldn't be contained no more.

Hot tears spilled out of its confinement, trailing a wet pathway down her tainted cheeks; trickling beside quivering lips and marking a way down Santana's chin where it finally fell off.

Brittany could feel the sudden warmth against the cheek she had pressed against bronze skin and she all but released a breathy giggle.

Pale thumbs quickly took purchase upon the protrusion beneath Santana's eyes and begun to glide back and forth, quelling the raging fire that was quickly consuming Santana's body - it was still burning with unbelievable intensity but was now a more serene buzzing warmth, one Santana only had the pleasure of enjoying in the presence of Brittany - at the same time, sweeping the following tears away.

It was times like these that made Santana question whoever she could question again and again how she'd deserved such a beautiful being. Was she an unsung hero of the world in the past? Even then, she doubts any amount of good deeds would ever allow someone to deserve someone such as Brittany.

"you cry at everything Sa-"

Santana closed the distance between them, crashing their lips together in a fraught and ardent kiss.

Brittany noticed the change in Santana's demeanor immediately, pushing backwards until her back was supported by the bed frame before slipping her arms beneath Santana's thighs and pulling with such strength until every part of their body was flushed against the other.

Their lips remained in contact through the shift, necks straining forwards, compelled by their need for the other.

Brittany's lips was so soft and it filled her with a certain warmth, a warmth that every human being seeks for so desperately - home.

Tanned arms snaked along cream shoulders to circle around Brittany's neck and pulled them even closer.

There wasn't even a need for a tiny tickle of one's tongue against the lips of the other for both mouths to open willingly. Tongues darted immediately to the foreign yet familiar heat that hit against its bumpy expanse and ended in a clash of the muscle, creating a small space between their heads again as they fought for dominance, both wanting to taste the other first.

Santana slurped her tongue back into her mouth and allowed her lips to encircle Brittany's pink tongue possessively, before sucking it into her mouth.

"mmm"

Brittany's low moan never failed to send a million tingles to the apex of her thighs. It was so low, so mature, so…

un-Brittany.

She attempted to contain the low moan by muffling it with a kiss.

As their lips slipped and slid against the other, languidly, Brittany hands begun to wander wherever they could go. Moving from rubbing up and down her back, slipping across her butt down to the underside of her thighs where it begun to glide up and down silky bronze skin; inching higher and higher with every new path it took.

Shivers raided Santana's body as the tickling against her thighs elevated up, closer and closer to the one place she wanted it at.

To her disappointment though, it slipped up to her back again.

She pushed her disappointment away though, for she knew Brittany didn't know what to do, she probably felt the same craving as Santana felt but she definitely didn't know what she could do to quell it.

Well, no worries, Santana knew, and experience was a great way to learn something.

But, the moment cold yet soft hands slid under Santana's pajamas and panties and came into bare contact with her butt, all coherent thoughts were washed away.

The knot in the pit of her stomach seemed to have gotten a tight tug upon its ends. She had never been touched at such a strangely intimate area, not to mention that her body's reaction doubled because it was Brittany.

Brittany begun to run the pad of her thumbs up and down against the sensitive flesh and Santana picked up the pace of their kissing, pulling them ever so much closer; heads twisting as their mouths desperately tried to contact at every inch possible.

And then Brittany gave a bold squeeze.

It happened even before she could register it. The muscles at her back tightened and flexed, sending Santana's hips barreling down against Brittany's; successfully pressing their sensitive crotches together.

At that moment, both visions tunneled even as their eyes widened in shock.

It felt as if an insurmountable amount of pleasure exploded from their crotches and ricocheted to every fiber of their being.

Their foreheads had fallen together and they begun to pant.

"d-do that a-again," breathed Brittany, voice a kind of low Santana had never encountered before and when her eyes snapped open she found herself looking at mesmerizing cobalt eyes that were many shades darker than it had ever been.

Santana gulped, "o-okay."

A tanned hand snapped to the material of the bed and another found purchase on the bed frame at the side of Brittany's head. Once Santana's hands had found stable supports, she grips the bed sheet and frame and pushed her hips against Brittany's again.

Again, their bodies were engulfed in uncountable tingles of pleasure.

* * *

They begun an incredibly nonrhythmic undulating dance; Santana barreling her hips downwards and Brittany pushing Santana's waist downwards forcefully whilst their lips slipped chaotically against the other, sometimes planting a wet kiss at the sides instead.

They desperately needed to release the increasingly tightening knot at the pits of their stomachs but a low humming had begun to sound in Brittany's ear and a foreign constant wave of tingles had started to run up and down the length to her body.

Although she didn't know what it was, the nagging feeling at the back of her mind told her that she should make it stop before… something happened and she somehow she knew it'd be something in the negative arena, that being said, the pleasure of what she was currently engaged in, easily overpowered everything.

Luckily, the rattling of a locked door knob and rapid banging against the door of the room shocked them to a halt.

Santana's body jerked and her teeth involuntarily clamped down upon Brittany's lower lip. Even a crunch could be heard.

Brittany yelped when a sharp pain that originated from her bottom lip shot to her head and made it pound.

Tousled raven hair whipped back and forth as Santana spun her head towards the door, gave Brittany a brief look and proceeding to stare at the door again wide-eyed.

She did a double take. Eyes widened again, if it were even possible, the darken mocha now back to it's - still beautiful - brown.

"oh… shit," it darted to Brittany's lower lip that was now throbbing painfully.

"YEAH?" she shouted, it was directed at the people on the other side of the door but her eyes were kept on Brittany's lip.

Her hand moved to the bleeding lip and hovered over it, apprehensive. She didn't want to touch the wound, it would undoubtedly cause it to hurt.

It looked very bad, with a portion of skin bitten out of its bond with the rest of the lip, creating a ghastly dent that was pooled with crimson blood.

Brittany studied Santana's face, a small smile gracing her lips. The latina's brows were so deeply furrowed, eyes twinkling with so much concern, nose scrunched and lower lip trapped in between rows of immaculate teeth as she studied her wounded lip.

She's sure it's bad, judging by the pain she felt before but was now significantly quelled at Santana's adorable expression of guilt, concern and exasperation all mixed into one.

"what's going on in there Miha?" Mr Lopez's voice boomed effortlessly through the thick wood that divided them.

"We could hear… a lot of rustling! like there was a.."

"strong wind…" Santana whispered, eyes darted up to look at Brittany's glimmering sky blues. Her face was no longer an adorable mixture.

She looked, scared.

And Brittany finally understood the low humming and sudden appearance of the haze in her mind.

"…oh…" Brittany breathed, averting her eyes from Santana's and instead scanned the room.

Everything was in a mess. The parchments that had been pinned to Santana's wall now littered the floor and their bedroom slippers had slid to every corner of the room.

Her eyes widened at the pandemonium she had unconsciously created. This hadn't happened for a long time now and it still remained a fact that she couldn't control this… curse.

Brittany quickly pushed Santana away by forcefully shoving her at the shoulders and quickly scrambled away from Santana.

"Dont- Britt," Santana pleaded.

This was exactly what she was afraid of.

Brittany pushing her away.

The first time it happened, Brittany had pushed her away and wouldn't allow Santana near her, be it physically or emotionally, for whole unbearable weeks before theirs bodies had started to grow accustomed to the other again; when the conundrum was surely forgotten. It had caused her heart to ache at an unimaginable volume and she didn't think she could handle it again.

The blonde went to Santana for every quandary she had, this was the one thing, the only thing that Brittany wasn't willing to allow Santana a chance to share the burden of.

That spurred the anger, the want to solve the matter. Santana wanted to be involved in every part of Brittany's life, and that would inevitably include problems: no matter what the scale, as well.

"We're fine" Santana shouted back, face now stern, staring back at Brittany with blazing eyes.

"We…?" Mrs Lopez asked.

"Britt's over."

Eyes unwaveringly staring at Brittany, daring the girl to make the move and leap out of the window.

"Oh… are you gu-"

"We're _fine!_" The finality in Santana's tone caused Brittany to gulp nervously. She'd seen Santana so harsh before, but she had never been at the opposite end of it. It had always been directed to the boys in school that pick on her for her… daftness or both of them, now that people had started talks about the nature of their relationship.

"okay Miha! we'll be here when you need us!"

"wh-what? i clearly heard a lot of sound we shol-"

"no, let's go now, go"

The exchange was muffled but audible and Santana felt a tinge of appreciation towards her mother. Always the one to understand.

After footsteps could be heard pounding reluctantly down the winding steps, Santana moved to turn her body in the direction of Brittany.

Brittany's eyes were now glazed over with unshed tears, eyes reflecting the light beams that had now engulfed the entire room. The blonde was standing a few inches away from Santana's study desk; right beside the window via which she had entered the room the night before and her back, hovering away from the wall.

She looked absolutely petrified and not to mention despondent.

Santana moved to uncurl her bent knees, the right then the left and allowed her feet to dangle off the bed, gauging Brittany's reaction. She didn't want the girl to jump out of the window in a nervous fit. She'd blame herself for Brittany's inability to walk properly all her life.

When Brittany continued to look at her with those, big, blue eyes, she planted her hovering feet on the ground and daringly stood up.

The buzzing in her ears started yet again.

Brittany's heart was erratic. She didn't want Santana to come any nearer although her body needed Santana's warmth so very desperately. Her body language was a clear indication of the reluctance towards Santana's close proximity but she was sure, her eyes told a completely different emotion.

Luckily for her, Santana's main focus, was always her eyes.

* * *

The Latina took a stiff step forward and Brittany took one back. Santana's brows furrowed in frustration at Brittany's desperate want to move away from her, at her selfish want to deprive her body of that one thing she needed.

Again, a step forward was met with a step backwards.

Santana watched as the tears welling up upon Brittany's lower lid begun to pool until it was precariously spilling over the edge. Her feet made quick work, ignoring the way Brittany moved backwards just as quickly until her back was pressed against the wall.

Bronze thumbs reached the the bottom lid of blue eyes just as heartbreaking tears begun to spill over.

The moment Santana's warm hands caressed her cheeks and all that was within sight was a spectacular pair of big brown eyes, her body betrayed her mind instantly and molded against Santana's.

Santana held Brittany up when she felt the body sag against hers completely, slipping her hands around small waist and pressing her palms against the small of Brittany's back whilst Brittany buried her face against the crook of Santana's neck, too emotionally overwhelmed to realize just how perfectly it had fitted right there and begun to cry.

The body she was holding shuddered with every sob that was painstakingly released and with every shudder, her heart would drop that much lower towards her stomach, feeling as if someone had given it a strong, heartless tug.

"shhh, shhh" she soothed, rubbing Brittany's back whilst still trying to keep both their bodies propped up. Her sight was beginning to become hazy as well.

"I'm here… Santana's here. We'll solve this together. Together."

A burning sensation took refuge in her body at Santana's words and caused bumps to form all over creamy skin. It seemed to push a new set of feelings towards the very muscle that resided in her chest. She's sure there was a word for such an emotion and she's sure there'd be no definite way to describe it. The good, within the bad; the happy during the sad; the unicorn within a rhinoceros.

It wasn't the first time she'd felt something like this, however she couldn't help but realize that it was growing stronger and stronger each passing day. She wonders if it'll eat her from the inside out soon, although, she wouldn't mind at all.

It was a good feeling, a great feeling, because it was all about Santana.

* * *

Santana felt a tightening against her shirt; right above her chest and she looked down curiously to see that Brittany had grasped a handful of the material and pressed her knuckles against he left side of her chest.

At first, she was a little puzzled as to what the blonde was doing and the moment she vaguely understood the gist of Brittany's motive, everything clicked. It was as if her mind had been churning and churning all this time without her knowledge, desperately searching for the answer to all the questions that had plagued her mind the few hours before and when Brittany did just that, the answer appeared before her very eyes.

* * *

Brittany didn't know what she was doing, but somehow, she felt that feeling it would make everything alright, so she proceeded to grasp against the material above Santana's chest and pressed her hand against that portion of the body.

Her hand vibrated as the erratic thumping that could be felt from Santana's chest pounded against her knuckles.

Santana's heart was thumping so wildly and so hard, so much so that it matched her exasperated one.

Just like that, her crying halted, the low hum in her ear stopped and the haze in her mind cleared.

The solution to this big problem of hers wasn't to push Santana away just as she had been doing all these while. No, it wasn't that at all. In fact, it was for Santana to be so near, so close, that they were almost molded into one being entirely. All she needed to do was remind herself of the fact that Santana's heart pounds in the same beats as hers.

And it was that reminder that made the answer to Santana's question so instantaneous.

"what are we Brittany?" she whispered in Brittany's ear.

"Meant to be. We're meant to be"

_They had only one type of love. __The Santana and Brittany one._

* * *

__I hope you enjoyed it and I hope I didn't bore you out :/

I just love them together, don't you? (:

Have an amazing day!


	5. Chapter 5: Of Birthdays and Change

**A/N: **Hey guys! sorry the update's taking for-freaking-ever, but I've been rather busy (: i don't even know if you're waiting for an update, but if you are then you've no idea how thankful i am for you (:

To the anon that leaves me wonderful comments: i think i'm in love with you.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything. I simply love these characters and enjoy manipulating their chemistry even more. and mistakes are all solely and entirely mine.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Of Birthdays and Change (part 1)**

The morning had flown by in a daze. Well, probably more a wild stream of chaotic colours rather than a daze.

In any case, she didn't know when or even how she'd ended up on a wooden stool with her fingers nails digging into it's humble wooden surface ferociously; mercilessly as she tried to curb all the emotions filling to the brim. Brittany had never found herself in a situation where the urge to cry presented itself in wake of a joyous occasion. Was it the birthday cake? The adorable duck shaped candles? Or was it the fact that every single member of a family - that wasn't hers - had remembered her birthday when she'd forgotten it herself?

"You guys remembered?" She could only breathe, staring wide eyed at the myriad of colours decorating the cake and another plate of blue berry pancakes, topped with an equal number of adorable duck candles - That she was so totally going to being home to show Lord Tubs.

And when the Lopezs looked at her incredulously, as if asking why she had even doubted that fact at all; when Santana rushed over to embraced her, she bawled. She cried and wailed, running her moist closed lids against Santana's neck, to her shoulder and back, feeling the body shiver along with her sharp gasps.

"There's nothing to cry about." she heard Santana's low voice soothe into her ear, felt a familiar pair of hands stroke her back and massage her scalp.

All at once, Brittany realised that she couldn't wish for a better present to receive than the one she received several years ago; in the form of a tiny toddler with a pair of dazzling brown eyes that grew up into a lady that was mesmerising in her entirety. She could only apologise to the Birthday high wizard - wherever he was - and ask of him to use the spells he was about to use for her birthday wish to keep Santana by her side always.

* * *

They settled down around the wooden table after Brittany's out burst; food placed in the middle for all to partake. She might have caught Santana's finger swipe that bit of moisture away from her lower lid when the girl settled on the seat beside her, but decided to remain silent about it, simply reaching under the table to grasp the girl's hand, giving Santana the comfort she had received earlier on.

"Thanks Mr and Mrs Lopez," Brittany thanked with voice still hoarse from sobbing.

"Oh don't stand on ceremony Brittany!," exclaimed Maria Lopez, eyes widening,"and besides, it's all Santana over there."

Brittany's smile couldn't possibly have gone any wider then, her face bright as the sun on a hot summer's afternoon. She couldn't say she was shocked though.

"San?"

Santana's head snapped away from glaring at her mother's mischievous grin to stare wide eyed at Brittany before quickly dropping to look bashfully at her lap. Brittany couldn't help but chuckle when the latina's cheeks tainted as she "ahhh" and "hmmm"ed, nothing coherent enough able to escape her quivering lips.

"I uh..."

"Thanks. That's very sweet of you," Brittany leaned over to the girl's red ear and whispered in the softest voice she could muster, "and cute, sooo sooo cute."

She knew Santana didn't like being called "sweet" and most definitely never "cute", it made her sound vulnerable and weak and even though Brittany thinks Santana deserves her moments of vulnerability like everybody does, Santana seems to think otherwise and she wasn't about to go test the waters.

The awkward "ahh" and "hmmm"s readily disappeared when her jaw snapped shut to allow that shy simper.

As adorable as the interaction between their daughter and her... forever best friend was, Mr and Mrs Lopez knew their daughter well enough to know that a simple morning surprise wasn't all she would have planned for the birthday of a good friend, much more now that it was Brittany, hence, they hurriedly sliced the cakes into equal pieces and urged the girls to eat.

True enough, after the cakes were finished - devoured really - Santana stood up abruptly and grabbed Brittany's arm, pulling the girl towards the door.

"Wha?" Brittany squeaked, shocked and curious after being literally yanked out of her chair.

Her body betrayed the sense to stop and question the girls actions when she caught the glint in brown eyes after it whirled around to look at her. That brief few minutes started a whole wave of excitement to bubble within her.

"You'll find out. Come on! We've got to hurry!"

"Bye Mr and Mrs Lopez!" She shouted, having to strain her neck to look over her shoulder for the pull upon the arm was urgent. Brittany wasn't even allowed to tie her shoelaces before they were darting out the door.

* * *

"Where _ARE_we going?" Brittany huffed in frustration for the umpteenth time since Santana had stepped behind her and covered her eyes with her hand. Usually when Puck covers her eyes with his hands - that were MUCH bigger than Santana's - she'd always be able to peek through a certain hole in his foley but Santana's got her vision completely obstructed. The girl clearly knows the workings of Brittany very well.

Her lack of sight fuelled her curiosity, impatience and all at once great anticipation.

"If you ask anymore I'm going to lead you into a pole."

Brittany pretended to gasp in faux shock. "You MURDERER," she mocked, stumbling slightly over a small elevated step.

"Hah," she heard her captor laugh mirthlessly, "then you'd like the place I'm going to murder you in."

The hinges of a door creaked loudly, and before Brittany could even open her mouth to remark, Santana's hand was sliding away from shielding her eyes.

Her mouth had already thinned into a line even before her eyes could open and take in her surroundings. With the lingering smell of popcorn and musky old carpets, Brittany had only one location in mind. Butterflies started to gather in her stomach.

"Open your eyes," whispered Santana, sending a breath of hot air against Brittany's cold ears and once again reminding the blonde of her presence.

Brittany did as she was told, cerulean eyes peeking out from pale lids already sparkling with anticipation. And boy, was the anticipation well felt.

Immediately, her organ of sight darted to every crevice, every nook and cranny and imbedded it into her mind. It knew she'd want to remember this moment forever - however long that might be.

She'd want to remember the grand high ceiling and the opulent intricate carvings that were a juxtaposition to the small, old theatre. She'd want to remember the folded red cushioned chairs that populated the only level and the brown carpet that was just as stained. She'd want to remember the streaks of gold that lined the hinges and corners. She'd want to remember the deep brown elevated step - that was the stage - and how it commanded the attention of hundreds of people, defying it's very size. She'd want to remember the red velvet curtains that framed the stage, the red velvet curtains that have hidden behind it so much scurrying, scrambling and mess to finally reveal the wonderment when it finally moves out of sight. She'd want to remember the theatre lights that hung low and dimmed enough to make all the dusty and old seem grander. And finally, but definitely not the least, Brittany wants to remember how much grandeur and majesty this place must have had in it's hay days and how much the hand in hers have tightened just as much as hers had in awe.

It was silent. The theatre completely void of sounds, save the buzzing of the lights hanging above. Santana wanted Brittany to have her moment; wanted her to take as much time as she needed to realise just where she was. And Brittany? She just didn't know what to say. "Thank you" would be too little said, "you're the best" would be too overrated and "this is perfect" would be a colossal understatement. Still, something HAD to be said. Gratitude and Affection still had to be displayed.

They turned with the same thoughts in their minds. However, just as their eyes met, mouths hanging open with words hanging precariously at the tip of their tongues, the lights went off; the theatre completely stripped of light at the pull of a lever.

It came as a shock at first, fear slowly crawling the length of Brittany's body just as she thought of the rapist still not found, then, she felt a slight tickle run from her index finger to the apex of her index and thumb and then down the length of her thumb. A simple, repetitive action was enough to calm one's cryptic and fearful heart - such was the nature of Brittany's and Santana's relationship. In that moment of immense gratitude, fear, then comfort, the sound of metal scraping against metal filled the room before another set of lights was turned on.

Brittany's attention was drawn to the lights.

She didn't know what to think when she realised that it was the stage lights. What was going on? Was a performance going on? Or perhaps a certain form of practice? Were they intruding? Are they in trouble?

In Brittany's moment of astonishment and fear, the other girl's attention had focused on her. Santana didn't need to look at the stage to know what was going on. After all, she HAD planned this.

The purposeful lingering; the glances full of longing hasn't escaped the watchful eyes of Santana, not when Brittany would stop abruptly and stare blatantly at the seemingly abandoned building.  
However, had she not been too engrossed in gauging the attention of the people around her; too preoccupied with the opinions of other people, she'd also realise the minuscule tug upon her arm.

* * *

"Come on," the Latina spoke, barely above a whisper for she was too afraid to break the moment, "I got us front row seats."

"And the back row seats," Brittany said breathily, eyes still wide with shock and stupefaction.

"Yep, and back row seats," Santana replied, amused at the girl's expression. She begun proceeding towards the front, giving Brittany's hand a little tug to urge her legs to move.

"_And_the middle row seats."

Santana's giggle resonated in the theatre - which was built with purpose of exceptional acoustics in mind - and filled the room with it's warm sound. When it reached Beittany's ears, the girl couldn't help but shiver when all her other senses became inducted with the melodious sound as well.

"Yes, yes, middle rows seats as well. For you Brittany. Only you." Santana had said it with such light hearted amusement, as if she had been doing it so much, for so long, that such a heavy declaration doesn't need to carry the emotions of the same gravity, that it struck Brittany and made her stop dead in her tracks.

Feeling the resistance from the girl behind her, Santana whirled around with question in mind, only to be dumbfounded when her neck craned up automatically and sparkling cobalt eyes filled her vision.

How and when had Brittany come so close?

"Wha..?" It came out as a puff of air, most of the word lodging itself in her throat because Brittany decides she wasn't close enough and moves impossibly closer until their toes were touching; until Santana's neck was aching from straining to look up.

She can't see anything else from the nose down, nor from blonde hairline up - THAT was their proximity. It was all cobalt eyes and it's white streaks of reflection.

Mesmerising cobalt eyes and it's white streams of reflection.

Lucky for her, the wrinkling of the side of those eyes was all she needed to see to know how Brittany was feeling and whether what she had found herself in was going to be good or bad.

The smile was infectious even though she couldn't see it - although she had a pretty good picture of said smile in her head - and she found herself smiling as well.

"I really want to kiss you right now," Brittany whispered when she felt they were close enough that no one else could hear, or rather they were close enough that she didn't have to kiss Santana like she so desperately wants to to quell her desire for the girl.

Santana wants to say, "then kiss me," with that coy smirk of hers and then lean forward to close that teeny tiny gap separating them but Brittany began talking before she could.

"But walls and chairs and carpets have eyes, which probably means they'll have mouths too."

"S-so?" She managed to croak.

The reply was the disappearing of the wrinkle for a brief moment before reappearing, more faint this time but there nevertheless. The silence Brittany observed made Santana's heart twist as if to punish itself, she gulped in an attempt to quell the constriction. The lack of response wasn't because Brittany didn't have a response but rather because Brittany didn't want to verbalise it.

There wasn't a need to anyways, Santana caught it just fine.

The curtains begun to move, shuffling against the wooden floor - that was surprisingly immaculately clean - and it's metal rings scraping against the pole that it was looped through.

It was Santana turn this time to be rooted to the ground, just that she was in a state of immense guilt instead of awe. Brittany's blue eyes drifted up to look over at the stage before moving back down to Santana's hollow gaze.  
She took a step back.

"We're going to be late for the show," Brittany said, interlacing their fingers at both hands and swinging it in between them to lighten up the mood. "Let's go claim all our seats."

"_All_our seats?" Santana asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Brittany's smile grew notorious.

"Yes, _all_ our seats."

* * *

Santana quickly remembers that one should never question Brittany when she announces her plan with such fervour and especially not when excitement was practically OOZING out of her eyes. After several minutes of watching Cinderella being tricked and pity partied by her evil step mother in EVERY SINGLE seat of the front row - which wasn't that many chairs anyways - Brittany grabbed Santana's wrist, pulled the girl up from her seat and proceeded to run - whilst in a crouch - three rows down and 5 seats in.

Now they were in the middle. The exact middle. The most middle one could be in that tiny theatre.

They giggled as they plopped themselves down onto the seats, looking around and pretending that they had migrated that whole three rows without anyone noticing.

"What are you looking at sir," Brittany began, furrowing her brow and speaking with such pride at the empty seat right in front of them, "my bestie here has booked this WHOLE row," she nodded her head slowly as if saying "yup she did", "oh, and the seats in front too," the girl flicked her wrist and pointed faintly to the front row, "so enjoy your measly singular seat while I enjoy every other."

Santana clasped her lips together to keep the laughter in. She wouldn't want to disrupt the performers on stage. "who, may I ask, are you speaking to Miss Pierce."

Brittany flashed Santana a smile, glad the girl decided to participate  
"oh well, Mr Hotchner right there."

Santana smiled widely and raised her hand to do a little wave at the imaginary man Brittany gloated to earlier.  
"Hi Mr Hotchner."

Brittany remained silent and just as Santana was feeling rather dumb, thinking she'd gone too far in participating in this little play, Brittany swatted the seat 'Mr Hotchner' was in and scolded it angrily, "Have you no manners? Gentleman greet people when they've been greeted. Say hi to my Santana right n..."  
Brittany's eyes widened, mouth hanging open when she realised what she had just declared, quite loudly.

Her heart dropped and stopped.

It was something that could be easily said within the confines of Santana's room or their little opening, where they were completely and entirely alone, but definitely not in the presence of people. An unspoken rule was definitely broken.

She was afraid it would become awkward, she was almost sure Santana's facial expression would be a mask of hollow indifference when she finally dares a peek, but when she did, Santana's face was everything but.

Santana was smiling at her with a bashful blush on her face.

Brittany's heart made it's way back quickly all the way and lodged itself at her throat.

"He did say hi, to me," Her head tilted to the right as she replied with a small voice.

Santana turned back to the stage to watch the performance that they had so offensively been ignoring because of their - or Brittany's - childish playfulness and Brittany followed suit.

She couldn't help but smile. This wasn't the first time today that Santana didn't express her distaste to their intimacy; to the idea of them being more than platonic with a silent shrug or with an expression that was every bit like a block of ice. Even if it was still very rare occurrences, there definitely was a change in heart and everyone knows that feeling something was much easier than putting said feelings to play.  
So, Brittany thinks, one step at a time and she'd finally be able to _see_Santana's change of heart.

"Best. Birthday. Ever," she whispered to herself.

* * *

Okay this isn't all it is to this chapter. there's another part that i will post soon. I'm sorry! i just feel so sorry about posting so late. So think of this as a... preview of sorts?

*Here's a little warning! the next part's rated M-18. (though, I gotta warn you about my inexperience.) i will be reposting the chapter and melding them together because I'm an OCD-ic, sue me.

Enjoy and have a great day or night or afternoon my babies (;


	6. Chapter 6: Of Birthdays and Courage

**A/N:** This is SUCH a late update and I've a few things I'd like to apologise about.

Firstly, I'm sorry for the late late update.

Secondly, I'm relatively new to the whole concept of writing smut, so if it wasn't what you expected and more, I'm sorry.

Thirdly, I realise just how much I'm veering off the story, so I'm sorry and I'll be right back on track by the next update.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything. They belong to whoever they belong to.

* * *

**Of Birthdays and Courage**

She's sure she's wasting Santana's money.

By not watching the play that Santana had obviously arranged for - with money - and in the theatre that she had booked entirely - with, _a lot_ of money. There's definitely a lot of money at stake here.

Brittany feels terrible, she does, but she decides that it isn't something that she help. She can't help that the play - as interesting and touching the story of Cinderella was - paled greatly in comparison to the girl beside her.

Somewhere during the show, Santana had slid a hand between Brittany's right hand and the surface of her thigh and filled the gaps in between the blonde's fingers. It had fitted so perfectly that from then on, it didn't matter what the actors or actresses were or weren't doing on stage, Brittany's attention was wholly Santana's.

From the way Brittany boldly turned her head to the side, ostentatiously watching Santana's side profile, she'd think the girl would notice and turn to give her a shy eye roll. Instead, Santana shifts their interlaced hands onto her lap and was completely immersed in the play.

She was so captivated by the performance, that Brittany could see the emotional roller coaster Cinderella was going through simply by deciphering the expressions on Santana's face. In the mere few minutes of blatant staring, or rather what _felt_ like a few minutes of blatant staring, Brittany, having not watched Cinderella before, has pretty much grasped the gist of the show.

To Brittany and only Brittany, Cinderella was sad when her father had decided to believe his second wife and sent her to the kitchen to be a slave because Santana's eyebrows knitted together faintly, both curving upward and her plump lips pursed slightly as she tried to push back the brimming tears with a gulp.

To Brittany, Cinderella was angry whenever her step sisters mocked her because the tip of Santana's brow would gravitate together and her lip would curl up into a snarl.

To Brittany, Cinderella was happy because Santana's eyebrows would relax and her cheeks would tremble as she fought back a smile.

Although Cinderella's emotions were obvious given the situations she was in, to Brittany, her feelings invested in the show were brought up only by the interpretation of Santana's changing facial expressions.

Oh how much she would give to let the whole world see just how much emotion Santana's capable of; just how undeserving the title 'The Ice Queen' was, and wasn't it oxymoronic anyways?

Santana was the girl of Flames too.

There was a problem though; Brittany got sad, she got angry and she got happy, but there was one expression she couldn't peg an emotion to.

_One_.

It shouldn't bother her as much as it did anyways, and it wouldn't have, if it wasn't for the fact that it hit her with such a heavy sense of vivid familiarity _every single time_ it crossed Santana face.

Brittany wasn't allowed much time to ponder about her conundrum though, for as the maroon curtains begun to hone in and cover the freeze frame where Cinderella kisses her Prince, Santana's face begins to fade back into that mask of indifference _and_ Puck jumps out from crouching behind their seats with a loud

"BOOYAH".

Brittany jumped in her seat and immediately clutched her chest as she broke into a series of chuckles.

Santana, on the other hand, jumped in her seat and whirled around, striking Puck in temple squarely with a loud '_Klock_!', causing Brittany to laugh even louder.

"Ouch! _Hey_!," Puck shouts sounding offended and slightly irritated. He rubbed the side of his forehead that had gone red and glared at his perpetrator, "You are _so_ brute!"

"You know that and you _still_ do dumb stuff like these" Santana argued.

"I am _not_ dumb," Puck shot back, eyes narrowing with determination to win the argument. "You're as brute as a _man_!"

"You _did not_ just say that!"

With that, Santana lunged towards the unassuming boy, arms every bit braced for the battle she's so intent on starting _and_ winning.

Brittany allowed their "fight" to carry on for a bit, knowing they wouldn't hurt each other for real. she watched in amusement as they begun slapping each other wherever the opportunity would present itself, before deciding it was getting a little repetitive and boring and they could _actually_ hurt themselves, so she stretched her abdomen over the back of the chair and pulled the two apart; hanging their dominant hands in the air with surprising strength.

The two huffed and puffed heavily as they caught their breaths, still snarling at each other although they've stopped physically abusing the other.

"Hey! Stop!," Brittany scolded, brows knitted in a stern expression Puck was confused by and Santana was completely adored by.

"You guys are _so_ childish! And that's coming from _me_! So _that's _something to think about," she looked from Puck to Santana, back and fro, making sure to give them both equal attention.

"Everyone's in the wrong. Santana was wrong for calling you a dumb person, because no one is dumb-"

"YEAH! You go Britt!" Puck cheered, punching his free arm into the air.

"_You_," she accused the cheering boy who went silent immediately, "shouldn't have called Santana a man! I've seen her body and trust me, she ain't man _at all_."

She bobbed her head in finality.

Santana didn't even bother that Brittany had basically told the world that she'd seen Santana naked before, the sly smirk plastered on Puck's cheeky face was giving her a bad vibe.

"What... are you _doing_ with your face, Puck. Stop it. It's creeping the hell out of me." Santana screwed her face up in disgust.

He wasn't even offended by the disgust evident on her face, which sparked her rage even more.  
"Ohhhh... You know why I'm doing.. Whatever I'm doing with my face."

"No, no Puck I _don't_, so stop it!"

"Oh come on, don't make me do a demonstration."

She feels she got herself into a heap of crap when she urged him on with the upwards cock of her head.

"Do it."

Puck scoffed at her dare.

_Does she not believe he's about to do something to embarrass her? Or is she too blinded by rage to yield?_

Either way, Puck knows he'll get this round's winner's belt.

With the smirk locked into place on his face, he sent Brittany an overtly polite "Can I have my hand back?," and slid his wrist out from the loosened grip of Brittany's hand - which was surprisingly strong, he made a mental note to ask her about that later.

"You sure?" He taunted, bracing his hands and allowing them to hover in mid air.

Santana's eyes narrowed in suspicion.  
Should she back out now?

_Nay._

"Whatever."

"Okay," Puck drawls, smirk unwavering, if anything it was widening.

Santana's gut twists when Puck's hovering wrists twitched with movement.

Then, he proceeded to do the most mind boggling action Santana had ever encountered. All she knew was that it made her insides squirm and she really wanted Puck to stop doing it at once.

Especially in front of Brittany.

Every motion he did struck her with a sense of disgust. Even up to the expressions on his face; the way his tongue poked out from between his teeth or the way he was wiggling his eyebrows. It all seemed a little, libidinous.

Than it struck her. Like someone punched her in the face and all at once, she didn't want to understand the gesture at all.

Santana's eyes widened in recognition, staring at Puck's audacity. She wanted to burn his hands and put an end to his 'demonstration' but she thinks all the fire was burning _her_ instead.

Puck chuckled darkly, drinking Santana's flummoxed expression in with a growing sense of triumph.

He knows she got it.

Santana feels like she's already on the verge of exploding, but when Brittany tapped her shoulders lightly and gestured blatantly to how Puck was thrusting two fingers in and out of the 'O' he had formed with the other hand , she's sure she did.

Into smithereens.

Everything faded to black for a fleeting moment. If anything, she'd consider it a few milliseconds where she could see a sliver of salvation.

Santana thought maybe she had fainted and Brittany's curiosity had washed away with concern, but of course, her vision refocused and Brittany's head was still tilted to the side adorably.

She quickly realises she simply shut her eyes in the moment of immense embarrassment.

"Uh.." She hesitates, not knowing how to nor wanting to explain it to Brittany. Santana's brown eyes darted around the room, face burning up like a freaking furnace.

After a few gruelling moments of wracking her mind for something to say, she decided that she didn't have to tell Brittany the truth.

"I-it's a game," she lied.

Puck guffawed when Brittany jumped up and down asking if they could play the game together.

Santana, became a tomato.

* * *

Turns out Santana had booked the entire theatre for the whole day with events other than the play in mind.

After Puck left with another swollen mark in the shape of Santana's hand on his mohawked head, the curtains slid apart again and this time, a silver microphone was placed in the middle along with a myriad of instruments.

Brittany found herself questioning the events unfolding before her yet again and for the umpteenth time that day, she realises that she'll either have to find the answers herself or they will have to go completely unanswered.

Either way, she doesn't get a chance to ask the one person she knows is behind all this.

Fortunately, she quickly solves the riddle about the microphone when she sees a flash of colours appear at the lanes beside the mass of chairs and lined themselves up on stage in the form of three of her best friends.

Brittany couldn't decide between being completely confused or utterly amused. As usual, Sam had his mouth in a wide smile, looking the most excited at what was going to happen, Puck's face was one of faux reluctance and Tina was just trying to look interested when really, she wasn't.

She released a sound between a giggle and a scoff because her friends looked so painfully awkward in the centre of the stage that even as Santana ascended the stage and took her place behind the microphone with such grace, it did little to make the tiro behind her look better.

Soon after, a plethora of people begun to file into the theatre with a canteen table of sorts.

Brittany whipped around, turning her head from side to side to survey the suddenly flooded theatre. She had no idea what was happening whatsoever and the only way she could stay obediently rooted to her spot was the sparkling brown eyes back on the stage.

The crowd of McKinley High students begun to set up the canteen table that was brought in by a few jockeys of immaculate build. They placed a white cloth over the long table before placing plates of food and a carton of red liquid on top of it.

Brittany looked to Santana, eyes wide with suspicion, "_what's going on_?"  
She mouths to the girl on stage.

Santana simply shrugged in a gesture that conveyed she had no clue either, but the smirk that grew on the girl's face told Brittany otherwise.

After everything was arranged a top the table, the students turned around to face Brittany and remained silent.

"Hey, testing," Santana says into the mike, looking down to shift the contraption before looking up again.

"Ready?" She scanned the theatre for a reply that came in the form of collective nods.

"Okay," Santana affirmed, satisfied, "a one, a two, a one two three, GO!"

There was a bit of an awkward silence for awhile, then a familiar melody started to fill the theatre, beginning with the soft and low voice of Santana's, before everyone around her started to belt the song as well.

Along with the wonderful acoustics of the theatre, the melody ebbed through the air and struck Brittany with an exploding bullet of warmth - or at least that's what she had imagined. She felt warm all over and her face felt like it was about to explode with the overwhelming urge to cry and laugh at the same time. It shocked her to the degree where she just didn't know how to react. Even as Santana ended the song with a beautiful vibrato in perfect pitch, Brittany could only stand, unmoving, with the biggest smile etched on her face.

Santana's eyes skate around the theatre, through the sea of waiting faces and stops right anywhere she spots blue eyes that were shinier, prettier than any other.

"Happy Birthday Brittany Susanna Pierce," she says into the microphone.

Brittany doesn't think she has ever felt _this_ satisfied and happy and _celebrated_ on a birthday before.

Pathetic, she knows, that's why she thanks everyone or everything she can for her Latina best friend.

Because all's made wonderful with Santana.

As usual.

* * *

"So what do you think of the party?" A male voice asked.  
Brittany had to shake her head to get herself out of the blissful trance she had gotten into.

Santana singing was dazzling.

It was Mike, Mike Chang.  
He was a jock and a dancer. A dancer whose skills rivalled that of Brittany's and for that reason alone, everyone has been trying to match both Brittany and Mike together since the day middle school started and hormones begun to rage. But Brittany never caved into the playful nudges because she knew he was a much better match for Tina than he was for her, and sometimes, she knows he felt that way too.

"It's nice," she flashed a smile and turned her body fully to face the boy while bobbing her head.

"Yeah, look at _all_ these. It's solely for you," he gestured widely to the theatre and somehow managed to make it seem larger than it really was.

"Don't ever let her go," he says, holding her gaze.

"I won't."

Before she realised what had transpired in the conversation, or before she could register the guy's knowing smirk, Mike had already gone to the group of jockeys, immersed in a deep conversation about balloons.

A red light in Brittany's head turned on and begun to strobe warningly, she scrunched the plastic cup in her fist.

They had discussed how much Santana had put into the party and with Brittany's incredibly high EQ, she'd even say Mike looked rather appalled at the Ice Queen's grand gesture. He's sure to know something was up, if not, why would he say something like, "_Don't ever let her go_." That's something Santana's grandpa told her dad the first time he brought Mrs Lopez back home for dinner.

Taboo.

She's sure she's overreacting and being way too paranoid and sure she's rather sick and tired of all the paranoia and hiding but Santana had gone through so much trouble and made so many sacrifices just so that she'd be able to give Brittany a wonderful, memorable birthday and here she was, selling them out; tipping Santana's years of hard work over the cliff.

Propelled by her eager desire to right things, she starts towards Mike slowly, putting one foot in front of the other precariously with eyes trained on one guy and one guy only, and she would have taken step after step after step towards the guy and kissed him squarely on the lips just to throw him off the edge if it wasn't for the sudden warmth on her right shoulder and the aching in a chest that tells her someone wouldn't like it.

"Britt what's wrong?" A familiar voice asks and she stalls.

UH-OH. _Too late._

Santana tightened the hand on Brittany's shoulder and bent her elbow, urging the girl to turn around and face her. Brittany did as guided, although reluctantly.

She wasn't sure if it was because she had turned a whole 180 degrees, or if it was because she was ridden with guilt or if it was because of those ever dazzling warm brown eyes, but her head was spinning and her throat was dry as the wells in summer.

"What's wrong Britt?" Came the voice again, now laced with a heartbreaking amount of concern.  
Santana ducks her head in an attempt to catch Brittany's gaze.

"Is it Mike?" She questions, tone quickly turning menacing, "did he say something inappropriate?"

Another warning light turns on at Santana's low growl.

Brittany steps closer reflexively and places her hands on the girl's shoulder.

"It's okay," she breaths as she moves closer, trailing her palm down the length of Santana arm until she could lace their fingers together.

"It's okay," Brittany soothed again, nodding her head slowly.

She remained quiet for a few moments, waiting for Santana to relax. It took longer than usual, but the inevitable happened just as she knew it would and she feels the hand in hers relax.

"I... Uh, no" Brittany swallowed thickly while shaking her head, "no Mike didn't say anything wrong. It's.."  
She trails off.

_It was me_. _I said something wrong. I'm sorry._

"What Britt?" Santana asks softly, worried.

She took in a deep shaky breath then cracked her eye open to study the girl's confused yet concerned eyes.

"I think Mike knows..." She all but breathes.

Santana doesn't say anything for awhile and Brittany doesn't know what Santana's feeling because she had diverted her eyes and was too afraid to look back up.

The silence in Santana's part made Brittany's palms perspire and aggravated the reluctance she felt to look at Santana.

Then, just as she was about to pull away and apologise fervently, Santana pulls away instead and tugs at her hand.

"Santana what are- where are we going?" She asks, eying the back of Santana's head as she leads them down the side aisle.

But swishing hair is all she sees.

* * *

It was hard navigating through a throng of gyrating, sweaty bodies and it was tiring to drag a reluctant questioning girl even if it was for a short distance, but Santana-determined as she was- managed to find the black door to the rest room.

She pushed the door open with a swift flick of her wrist and again with the sudden burst of strength, pushing Brittany's back against the door of the restroom.

Brittany gasps as Santana reaches upwards, plants her hands on Brittany's neck and pulls her down towards her face.

Santana was breathing heavily, eyes a brown determined amber as she looked into Brittany eyes. She may _look_ fierce and strong, but truth be told, her stomach's a whole lot of jittery and perspiration was beginning to gather under her dress.

This was all she had planned.  
Pull Brittany into the bathroom and make sure the blonde knows she's nothing but serious. After that, it's just a hazy fuzz of a less concrete idea.

She has an idea of what she wants to say but doesn't know how to say it.

"S'ana," Brittany breathes, breath smelling like fruit punch, "why are you so afraid?"

Again, Brittany calls her out.

"Because I just knew I needed to get you alone and tell you... A whole lot of things, but I.. I don't really know where to start."

Brittany's blue eyes seemed to scan the latina's face before resuming their silent gaze. Wasn't _she _the nervous one before? When had the tables turned?

"Then it doesn't matter where you start now does it?"

Santana huffs, because Brittany's right. She always is.  
Brittany always knows what to say, what to do and it still baffles her as to why people always think she's dumb.

It's with awe that she says,  
"No. No it doesn't."

Brittany continues to look at her with those soft blue eyes, dazzling and unwaveringly patient and Santana feels herself beginning to breakdown. She feels her heart starting to speed up and she just felt so incredibly vulnerable in the presence of Brittany.

What's amazing is that, Brittany manages to make it all seen so magical. When it's all stupendously complicating, Brittany manages to make it seem as if it's all the _right_ kind of complicating. Does that make sense?

Nothing makes sense right now. What's she to do?

In her moment of turmoil, she feels Brittany grab her hand, move them to a stray bench against a wall and settle them down. The blonde pulls against Santana's waist and urges the girl onto her lap.

Santana does as instructed, needing Brittany's warmth _and_ a seat for her legs were beginning to feel weak. She places herself on Brittany's lap so her side was pressed up against Brittany's chest and rests her back against the adjoining wall behind her.

Brittany wraps her arms around Santana's waist and pulls her even closer.

They sigh in comfort. Being close to each other. That was comfort at it's very best.

Silence fills the air and Brittany's watching her, waiting.

She decides that if she wanted to say what she had planned to, then this would be as good a chance as any.

Though her thoughts were still jumbled, she decides to simply pick from the mess in her mind.

She takes in a deep shaky breath and feels hands running up and down her calf.

"I don't really know how to say this, but I guess I'll just say whatever I feel and see if it make sense. Does...that make sense?"

Santana looks up to Brittany, who nods her head encouragingly, smiling a little, looking slightly dubious.

"I'm sorry," she croaks, voice weak and vulnerable in a way no one else in the entire universe would _ever_ have the chance to hear.

"I'm sorry for being so scared, I'm sorry for being so secretive, I'm sorry for being so selfish and I'm sorry for trying to hide the most wonderful thing that was ever mine."

Santana looks down from Brittany's piercing eyes, playing at the loose thread from her dress.

"I just... I just always thought it was the right thing to do, y'know? I always thought that keeping us a secret would protect us from all the... Prying eyes, those _venomous_ mouths. And once they start talking, I'd stop being... In charge," she admits, shamefully, "I don't like those nosy, bitchy little fuckers-"

Santana feels a pinch at her calf and she jumps, sending Brittany a glare who in turn was giving her the, "_don't you dare swear_" look.

Santana rolls her eyes and gives a breathy laugh.

"You suck," she whispers and keeps quiet. Feeling like the moment was lost.

"Continue," Brittany urges and the moment comes back just as easily as it was gone.

"But they just exist. They exist and they also kinda make the world go round. It's inevitable. So I just kept keeping us away from the light, from the prying eyes just so we won't get hurt."

"Santana I-" she hears Brittany speak, but she shakes her head, looking back up to catch Brittany in the eyes.

"But that day when we fought and I just couldn't find you anywhere," her heart trembles just at that thought, remembering exactly how empty everything felt, "I realised how much I _need_ you. You aren't just Brittany S. Pierce the long term best friend, you've become.. You've become my everything," her arms slowly raise, gravitating to the blonde's face, itching to caress it.

"That's when I realised trying to keep us a secret, trying to keep _you_ a secret was actually like trying to confound the world. _that's_ impossible. Even with you around."

Brittany presses her cheeks onto the hand Santana placed on her face and laughs.

It makes Santana fill with adoration.

"So," she huffs, "Today's party, even if I still can't do a direct public declaration, was so that you don't have to keep trying to protect me anymore, because I know you do," she gives Brittany a look that the blonde returns with a guilty smile, "Its meant to show everyone just how much you mean to me."

"Enough for you to plan a huge party and invite everyone in school, even the nosy, bitchy little fuckers?"

Santana pulls her brows together but smirks at Brittany's unusual cursing.  
"Ye-yeah? Did you just just cur-"

Before Santana could finish her sentence, Brittany tightens the arm she has around Santana's waist and moves forward to kiss the Latina.

"Mm!" Santana squeaks, shocked at the sudden bold gesture.

Brittany smiles against Santana's lips, puckering her lips to press a firmer kiss onto Santana's plump lips before pulling back and whispering, "seems I mean pretty damn much to you."

Santana shifts, moving to straddle Brittany's thighs and bury her fingers in blonde hair. She still doesn't understand _how_ flawless Brittany's hair is. It's perpetually in the state of perfection, even after she'd just woken up, albeit a little messed up.

She pulls her fingers through the hair, feeling tingles run up her arm as the strands tingle the sensitive skin in between the fingers. She draws an arc around Brittany's ear and then moves back to the girl's cheeks.

"You do," she nods her head, for once since they've migrated to the toilet managing to keep eye contact with Brittany's shiny blue eyes and a strong one at that, "so much."

The blue eyes dilate and it glosses away with a layer of moisture. It made Santana's heart speed up, even more.

"If only people knew how much of a sap you were," Brittany mocks, craning her neck upwards, eyes fixated on Santana plump lips.

After inching backwards a little, she finally allows Brittany to capture her lips in a full and satisfying kiss.

The kiss consisted of tongue, it consisted of perfect lip coordination but most of all, it was full and strong and Santana just knows, no one could kiss like Brittany does.

No one would make her feel as fantastical as Brittany does.

* * *

They emerge from the bathroom a good hour later.

They might still look the same, but nothing was.

Their feelings were clearer. Brittany was higher than when she'd been drinking the fruit punch, that was clearly mixed with booze but was too delicious to stop drinking and Santana felt as if a humongous weight has been lifted off her shoulders; a skip in her step, a constant simper on her face.

Another thing that was inevitably different, was how sensitive their skin was. Every touch from Santana was searing and affecting her skin way more than it usually does. Brittany could tell that it was different from Santana's fiery fire abilities, it felt different, as if Brittany's skin was having an allergic reaction of sorts. An allergic reaction that doesn't feel bad. Like how you'd think a rainbow would feel on your arm.

When Santana touches her arm it doesn't just burn her arm, her body starts to heat up and she really needs Santana to stop touching her right now.

"What's wrong Britt?" Santana asks when Brittany trails behind before finally coming to a stop.

Her eyes were a dark blue and they were darting around, looking at everything and everyone except Santana.

It didn't take much for Santana to decipher the strange look.

Santana's smirk turns into a shy smile, her face would've been a deep red if it wasn't for her coloured skin.

"Say... Brittany?" Santana asks.

"Mmm?" The girl replies, fidgeting, eyes flitting up and down to her shoes.

"Do you wanna just head home now?" She swings their joined hands in between them, "I mean, it's pretty late already and I think we've had enough partying for the night?"

Brittany holds her eye longer this time and gives a slow, small nod.  
"Okay, let's go."

And they left. Without another word.

* * *

It was much darker than they thought, chiller than they thought. The streets were quiet and empty, no one could be seen walking around anymore.

"It must be pretty late," comments Santana, casually strolling down the bricked pathway.

"Yeah, there's like, nobody."

"It's like..." Santana says, smile growing and growing and growing on her face until it turns into a sly smile.

At first Brittany doesn't know what Santana's up to when the girl detached their hands and she frowns, but then she sees Santana raise her arms up to the air and then she's skipping around without care; hair spinning and dancing behind her, skirt flipping and making her appear more graceful then her movements really were.

Santana twirls and twirls, face turned up to the sky.

"WE ARE THE QUEENS OF LIMA!" She declares out loud, listening to the echo and laughing as it fades away.

Her raven hair and skirt swishes to the right, compelled by her momentum, when she stops abruptly to face Brittany.

Brittany was watching her, blue eyes glinting under the bright moonlight.  
She smiles, head tilted to the side.

"Have you ever wondered where echoes go to? Like, do they disappear without a trace?" Brittany looks up to the sky, "or do they travel somewhere else. Maybe to someone's ear?"

"I don't know? I think they just... Disappear?"

"I think they travel," Brittany says in return, still watching the barely visible clouds float slowly across the sky.  
"I think the cloud catches them and carries them somewhere, to someone out there."

"So someone will hear that I'm the Queen of Lima?" Santana jokes when in fact, she couldn't help but ponder of the possibilities herself.

Brittany chuckles and looks away from following the cloud and starts down the street, causing Santana to hurry along beside her.

"No. I mean, if you want to talk to someone far far away, you could shout loud enough to create an echo. Maybe then they might hear it," Brittany explains her theory.

"That wouldn't ever happen to us right?" Santana asks, voice soft and it makes Brittany stop suddenly in front of her.

"Ouch," Santana laments, rubbing her forehead that had bumped into Brittany when the girl had suddenly stopped walking.

"No. I won't ever let it happen."

Santana lets her eyes trail down from silky blonde hair, down a baby blue dress to the dangling hand of Brittany's. she reaches down for it and takes it into a reassuring and strong hold. A promise-hold.

"Neither will I."

* * *

Instead of heading home, Santana ducks into the alleyway that led to their opening and pulls Brittany along with her.

Brittany trails on behind her, suspicious but enjoying how the girl was being so spontaneous all of a sudden. Santana has always been a girl that makes sure she has everything planned, just so that she could make sure nothing would go wrong.  
"_We can't afford that._"  
She would say.

"Don't you have to head home?" Brittany ask, shocking both of them with the sudden sound.

Santana simply turns her head to the left, leaving Brittany with the measly sight of half her face to figure out what she's about to do.

All Brittany can see is the slight tilt up of Santana's lips and the dilated, glinting dark mocha orbs.

It's fascinating how much Santana's eyes were sparkling under the moonlight, it almost feels magical.

That's all she has to work with, but it's all she needs to work with. She knows Santana's up to something, she doesn't know for sure, what it is, but she just knows, she's going to enjoy it.

* * *

They emerge to their opening to the most amazing sight ever.

It makes Brittany wonder why they haven't been to the opening when it's dark out.

Since their little secret garden was surrounded by trees, the green circle that the leafy branches makes is almost like a halo. It makes one think that it was specifically designed for star gazing.

Stars littered the black canvas of the sky; faded, lifeless clouds floating across balls of light and the moon in a vain attempt to cover it.

"Wow," Brittany breathes, plopping down onto the grass and onto her back beside Santana.

"Yeah, wow is just about right."

"It's beautiful."

Santana turns over to watch the awe struck girl.

"It really is."

Brittany's face of awe falls into a shy smirk, a tiny smirk, but nevertheless a smirk as she blushes.

"Are you being a total sap and saying it while looking at me."

Santana's eyes widen, caught red handed. She quickly turns back to look at the sky, while Brittany on the other hand, shifts her head to look at Santana.

"You can't hide from me Aunty Tana," Brittany mocks, sounding more affectionate than she had intended to.

Santana giggles, lolling her head to face Brittany with a mischievous smirk on her face.

She begins to move away from the girl, prepping herself to get up.

"Aunty Tana can't hide," she leaps onto her feet and begins to back away, "But Aunty Tana can run!"

Brittany catches on quickly and she's on her feet, staggering as she chases after Santana half-heartedly; laughter wracking through her body too vigorously.

Santana leaps and mocks, sprints and laughs, taunting Brittany whom she knew wasn't making any effort in trying to catch her. If Brittany really wanted to catch her, she would have gotten Santana in her grasp merely seconds after the Latina initiated the game.

"Imma catch you!"

"Nuh uh! I'm too fast for you!"

"I don't think so!"

"_OOMPF_-"

Within seconds, Brittany had pounced onto her and trapped her in between her body and a large tree.

Brittany's eyes are a dark blue under the black sky and her lips are pulled into a sly smirk when she says, "Got'cha."

A shiver runs down Santana's spine when she smells the faint scent of fruit punch.

"You've always had me," Santana replies, their faces merely inches apart.

It's situations like these that really confuses Santana.

She doesn't understand how a moment could be so impactful even if it's a moment that has happened countless times before. Like kissing Brittany, or on the very verge of doing so. With their face inches apart, with Brittany's breath washing over her face at every exhalation the girl makes. It's a situation she'd found herself in so many times, one would think she would have gotten used to it; like waking up everyday, or going to school everyday. It keeps happening to her but Again and again and again it sends her heart into a frenzy and every time it happens, she thinks she might never actually get used to it.

She guesses she has to accept the fact that every moment like this, as long as it's with Brittany, will be impactful; will make her heart a palpitating mess within her chest.

"Your eyes are always so much more beautiful this close up," she blurts.

It makes Brittany giggle, but she giggles only lightly, managing to keep her eyes locked on brown in a thankful gaze.

The blonde doesn't say anything, the atmosphere goes heavy and with Brittany's effortlessly perfect body pressing against hers all over, Santana can no longer control herself.

"Brittany, let's play a game."

"What game?"  
Brittany tilts her head to the right and Santana's eyes drops to the glaze of perspiration on the silver skin Brittany had exposed.

Santana's grip on her skirt tightens.

* * *

Brittany loves being close to Santana. The closer the better. The more warmth being exchanged the better. The more Santana Brittany gets, the better.

That's why, as Santana's hand ferociously latches onto Brittany's neck and somehow, gently, manages to flip their positions so Brittany was pressed up against the tree instead, she was on a high.

Her stomach's threatening to gurgle, her chest's all tight and excited and she just doesn't ever want to be any further away from Santana as she was now anymore.

"Santana what are you doing?"

Again, the Latina gives Brittany no time to ask, leaving Brittany to figure out the answer for herself.

This time it isn't so much of a riddle however, the darkening hues and dilating eyes told Brittany everything she wanted or needed to know.

She leans in just in time to catch Santana's lips in the middle.

* * *

The kiss had started out as it had always had; with a little sliding of lips and apprehensive tongues.

Then, as Santana gets bolder; she drags her palms from the side of Brittany's neck, down the girl's arms all the way to the girl's skirt and suddenly, she stalls. Courage going as quick as it came.

Her reluctance comes off as a little endearing to Brittany and the girl has to pull back, just a little; just enough for their lips to spring back from creasing against the other lip.

"What are you waiting for," she urges, softly, and catches Santana by surprise.

It lasts a short moment -Santana freezing up- but she regains her courage and takes the game up a notch.

"For the game to start."

With that, she slides her hands down the small of Brittany's back and rests them just above the bump of the girl's backside.

She gives a moment for Brittany's breathing to slow down before leaning up to kiss the girl again.

* * *

They're rocking back and forth in a non-verbal banter of sorts. Santana pushing forward as she tries to latch onto Brittany's upper lip while the blonde pulls away to latch onto Santana's lower lip. It would all be pretty comedic, if it wasn't for the fact that Santana's hand had bunched up Brittany's skirt, successfully exposing the long limbs that Santana had yet to admire.

It's all too tempting, so Santana pauses their lip lock and releases a few fingers from her hold on Brittany's skirt.

Her eyes are closed, but she could picture the flawless limbs as she trails a finger down Brittany's thighs, as far as she could go, then up again, feeling the muscles in them ripple as she edges nearer and nearer to Brittany's underwear.

The light blue skirt bunches up higher as Santana's eager hands travel further up Brittany's body, no longer able to stop now that they've begun.

Icy cold wind gets to Brittany's exposed skin and the winter air is so cold, it stings, but Brittany's heating up relentlessly from Santana's touch. Santana's touching her everywhere and it's searing in a way that's almost pleasurable and she never wants Santana to stop.

There's just one problem through, Santana isn't touching her at the one place she feels is aching to be touched at the most and she simply cannot bring herself to say it.

"S-S'ana," she mumbles, grabbing Santana's wrists and pausing the adventure they seem to be on.

"Mmm?" She feels Santana hum against her lips.

"I-I um.." Brittany opens her eyes and waits for Santana to do the same.

It didn't take long for brown eyes to reveal itself; poking out from beneath half hooded lids. Santana's eyebrows pull together in a worried frown.

"What's wrong Brittany?"

"Can you?.. I mean I want..." She trails off, not knowing what to say. Or HOW to say it.

"Did I hurt you?" Santana asks, worried eyes searching all over for a wound she might've caused.

Then, with fingers still wrapped around tanned wrists, Brittany moves her hand. Her left hand.

Santana's wandering eyes flit up and she's met with blue eyes with a gaze strong enough to make her knees go weak.

Brittany drags Santana's hand downwards, not able to convey her thoughts verbally.

Their eyes don't move. Nothing moves, except for the hands that Brittany's guiding. Nothing moves until her fingers were nail length buried past the waist band of Brittany's white underwear and the blonde's leaning into her ear and breathing,

"I want you to touch me there."

And she does. She moves downwards, their gaze unwavering.

* * *

It's miraculous, the way Brittany's blue eyes were stunning enough to distract Santana from looking downwards. Those eyes, glinting under the waning moonlight, was the only thing curbing her hungry eyes.

So, when she finally drags a finger through the slick, wet folds and Brittany's eyes roll to the back of her head, Santana allows her eyes to wander.

If it wasn't the flat plane of silver skin and the impossibly sexy dip of Brittany's belly button, then it's the way her hand was wrist deep in white underwear that wasn't hers; the red rim digging into the skin of the outside of her wrist. Either way, it makes her eyes go wide and tingles shoots past the waistband of _her_ underwear as well.

She must have stalled, because the next thing she knows, Brittany's moving a hand down her own white underwear, cupping Santana's hand and pressing harder into herself.

They discover a swollen bump and Brittany lets out a low rumble from the back of her throat as they graze across it.

"Wh-what was that?" Santana asks, voice trembling a little.

Brittany's head had rolled back against the tree bark, eyes closed and eyebrows creased. She shakes her head vigorously.

"_Idunno_," she mumbles before gulping. "_But don't stop_."

* * *

She quickly learns to focus on the bump.

She expertly circles around it with her finger and plays with it as Brittany moans and groans, jaws dropping according to her touches.

It makes Santana feel so wonderful to have such an effect over Brittany.

So _this_ was what they were wandering to this morning.

If this was what Puck's addicted to, she really doesn't see a reason to call him out on his mistakes anymore. It really wasn't a mistake; to make someone feel so good and to feel so tingly yourself in the process.

It's freaking magical, fantastical, every good in the world.

Along the way, the wind had picked up around them and Santana -being the only one mildly aware of their surroundings- realises it. She stops her ministrations to look around.

It takes awhile to snap out of her Brittany daze, but when she does, she remembers that it's all just Brittany.

She looks back to the girl who was huffing and puffing with a sheen of perspiration layering her body.

It makes asking Brittany to stop so much more difficult. The girl was practically glowing.

"Bri'any," she calls, voice so low and so husked it didn't sound like her at all.

She swallows.

"Brittany. It's happening again," she urges again when the girl continues to breathe heavily and doesn't reply.

"Brittany," she says again, louder, more alert when the wind doesn't simmer down.

This time, the girl reacts.

She finally opens her eyes, dark blue hues poking out from underneath her partially closed lids. Santana feels another voltage of electricity shoot past her waistband again at the sight and she clamps her legs together.

Brittany's eyes open wider just a little and she looks at Santana for a bit, then, in a flash of limbs, reaches for the girl and pulls Latina by a hand placed behind her neck towards herself.

Their lips collide in a sloppy kiss and it takes Santana's mind away from the problem at hand, straight back to cloud nine.

The next time they part, the swirling wind has stopped and a warm hand was pressed up against the left side of her chest, where she feels her own heartbeat thumping against it.

And boy was it frenzied.

* * *

With one final bold flick of her finger, Brittany shivers and allows her body to sag against Santana who catches her against the tree.

Brittany presses her forehead against the crook of Santana's neck and breathes heavily against the girl's heated skin.

"Why did you lie to me?" The blonde asks, voice soft and sore after a moment of silence.

Santana's eyebrows furrow and she turns to press a kiss to the nearest pale skin she could reach.

"Lie? About what?"

Brittany giggles at her misplaced kiss and gives Santana a sloppy one at her neck in return.

"_This_."

"This? What did I lie about this?"

"You said this was a game."

Santana moves her arms around Brittany and allow them to slide to the ground where Brittany settles in her lap as she leans against the bark of the tree.

"It isn't?" Santana asks, running her fingers through Brittany's slightly dishevelled hair.

Brittany finally lifts her head from Santana's shoulder to catch the girl's brown eyes.

Santana smiles at Brittany's tainted cheeks as the blonde runs a knuckle gently across her cheeks that were undoubtedly blushed as well.

"No Santana. It's not a game."

The latina's smile falls as she looks into Brittany's deep deep blue eyes.

Her gut wrenches along with the skipping of her heart.

Because no.

This wasn't _just_ a game.

* * *

So there! I hope you'll forgive me (:

Oh! and I'm no longer gonna merge the chapters together, because apparently laziness is a worse sickness than obsessive compulsive disorder. (another thing you've got to forgive me for)

Have a great autumn! (I don't care, it's my favourite season so every season's autumn.)

Enjoy (;


	7. Chapter 7: Of Sacrifices and Last Chance

**A/N: **Because of my late late update previously, i decided to reward you with a faster update this time. In this chapter you'll see the plot taking form.

To all the wonderful commenters, I love thee very much. You're all very very kind for giving me a chance.

This is for you.

* * *

_Of Sacrifices and Last Chances_

Santana's eyes fly open and she wakes up in a shock. Her heart's beating so quickly it was getting rather difficult to breathe.

It takes Brittany stirring beside her for her to realise that the terrifying feeling coursing through her body was probably the result of a nightmare she could no longer remember.

She relaxes further, body sagging against the ground when the tip of Brittany's nose tickles the underside of her jaw and the girl releases a lazy puff of air against her neck, causing a series of goosebumps to appear on the expanse of brown skin.

Santana simpers and shifts further into the warmth of Brittany when she feels the nails of Brittany's hand digging into the skin at the left side of her chest.

"She left her hand there all night," she sighs, falling into a blissful daze as her heart beats steadily against Brittany's warm hand.

"Mmhmm," Brittany hums all of a sudden and Santana stills, afraid Brittany might have heard her breathy words of embarrassment.

She steels herself for the teasing Brittany would undoubtedly send her way as the girl begins to awake beside her.

"I-I know you heard it okay. Don't have to tease me about it," Santana attempts even before Brittany had a chance to say anything.

Brittany doesn't utter a word until she successfully throws a leg over Santana's hips and in one swift motion, moves to straddle the girl.

It's just like Santana thought.

Brittany's flawless at every point of the day, even the morning, when everyone's just a mess and a shadow of the people they are later in the day. Brittany with disheveled hair, Brittany with the sleepy blush on her cheeks; Brittany with eyes so blue, the sky's just a less radiant replica of it.

Actually, especially the morning.

"What did I hear?" Brittany mumbles, trying to keep her eyes fully open and scrunching her nose up when the sun's too bright for her eyes.

Santana's lips curve into an inevitable smile as she looks up at Brittany.

"Nothing much."

"You're such a weirdo S'ana," the girl replies, leaning forwards to press a chaste kiss onto Santana's lips before proceeding to press her forehead against the Latina's chest.

The smile on Santana's face widens into one Brittany would find vividly familiar and she lifts her chin up to get blonde hair out of her face.

"What are you doing?" She asks, wrapping her arms around Brittany's back.

"Nuh'ing," the girl mumbles against Santana's chest and shakes her head, eliciting a giggle.

"I can't hear you!"

Brittany shifts her forehead upwards and presses it against Santana's. They both sigh as their bodies settle into a position that's comfortable and intimate.

"I said, nothing. I was just placing my face to your chest since you liked my hand on it so much."

It takes awhile, but Santana catches on and her eyes fly open to reveal the Cheshire grin now on Brittany's face.

"So you heard?"

"What? '_She left her hand there ALLLLLL night_~'" Brittany drawls in an exaggerated mimic of Santana's earlier speech, "yeah I heard it."

"I hate you."

Brittany's facial expression makes a 180 degrees shift into one that's the complete opposite of her previous smirk.

Upon seeing the sudden transformation, Santana's expression follows suit and she rushes to correct herself.

"No, Brittany I-"

The blonde doesn't give her time to right her words, Brittany goes in for a full and slow kiss, making sure every inch of their lips touched; making sure that Santana never ever forgets the way she tastes and when she pulls away, she says with glinting, dark blue eyes.

"You don't hate me."

It's said as a statement; a correct answer to one that's wrong.

"You love me," Brittany continues when Santana remains silent, her voice now wavering, tone now dropping into one that exuded uncertainty.

It made Santana's chest constrict in a way she never wants it to ever again and she gulps in an attempt to quell the burning in it. She doesn't trust herself to say anything for she knew her voice would waver and she might also get into a cardiac arrest, so she opts instead to show her affections physically.

Santana musters up all her strength and in an action she has had plenty of times to practice for, flipped their positions so Brittany was now the prisoner.

The girl's eyes remains trained on hers, waiting and challenging her to say those three words Santana knows Brittany has been waiting to hear come out of her mouth for... For the last eternity.

And she thinks, it's time she says what she has felt for the last eternity.

"Brittany, I lo-"

She hears it before she feels it, and she feels it before she sees it.

It sounded like a something was falling down from the sky; fluttering and helpless. It hits the small of her bent back, where the impact forces her forward and lands right behind Brittany's head; which she's terribly thankful for.

Bile rises up her throat at the sight of a massacred bird and she stares dumbfounded at the bleeding robin until her heart begins to sink into the very pits of her stomach at a realisation she couldn't believe she took forever to make.

It would explain the horrible way in which she had awoken today, even though she was in the arms of Brittany and it would explain why the ember she had ignited at the very tip of her thumb was flickering unsteadily.

Santana's father's consistent warnings begins to plague Santana's mind as she concluded: There was something terrible going on out there.

and they had better get away before it gets to them.

"What's wrong San?" Brittany asks upon seeing brown glowing eyes with deeply furrowed brows and proceeds to turn her head over to the direction where she had heard a loud thud.

"What dropped out of the sky?"

Santana shakes herself out of her panic-stricken daze and quickly places both hands on Brittany's cheek to prevent the girl from turning her head to see the dead bird.

"Brittany no. Just look at me."

Santana's scared. She's very very afraid and she really just wants to return to the safety of her parent's embrace, but right now, she needs to be Brittany's safety embrace.

"Santana, what's going on?" Brittany asks, voice soft and trembling, knowing from Santana's expression that something was wrong.

Santana gulps as her eyebrows pull together.

"Just look at me okay? Look at me, and no where else," she begins to pull Brittany up slowly, making sure Brittany's eyes are trained on her and her alone.

"Listen to me and nothing else," Brittany nods her head vigorously, blue eyes wide and petrified.

"Just hold my hand and we'll be okay."

* * *

The moment they emerge from the suffocating lane-way, Santana regrets even harbouring the idea of leaving their secret little opening.

She feels it, she hears it and she sees it, just like before, just much much more amplified.

"There's nothing," Brittany breathes, voicing her thoughts exactly. Wide blue eyes scan the usually bustling market for a sign of humanity and just like brown hues, it comes up short.

The cobbled street was as bare as it was the night before but this time, with signs of violence and retaliation. Signs that screams to get the heck out of the market -and probably Lima- or out of sight.

The windows to the huddled shophouses were open just like it would be every morning, to invite the ever eager wives of Lima but there were no one in the houses. The doors to the shops were either severely chipped or completely destroyed.

Then, Mr Tanaka's portable cart, lined with abandoned stale fish and a crooked 'Open' sign with a crimson stain splashed onto it's edge.

Santana registers the blood on the sign and her grip on Brittany's tightens considerably much, but it still isn't what made her start into a bolt.

What did, was a gruff bearded man with a spear in his hand and his booming voice.

"_THERE'S MORE_!"

She didn't need anymore signs to start moving.

With the tightest grip she has ever held Brittany's hand with, she bolts towards the cobbled steps; homeward bound.

* * *

They've been running and running for awhile and Santana, being one build with a less incredible physique, is beginning to feel the adrenaline fade away and the burning in her lungs intensifies ten fold.

She whips around for a peek, only to see the bearded spearman right on their heels.

"Shit," she curses, knowing she wouldn't be able to keep up with the speed they were going at and because of that, they'd be caught sooner than later.

It's now that she blames her father for refusing to teach her how to use her fire in a strategic offensive way. Sure, she could use it for offence, against Puck who only knew brute strength and against the whole of McKinley High, where they were taught that offensive casting was dark and intolerable.

Now see where tolerance has gotten them.

Into the fiery pits of obliteration.

A mess of greenery in her peripheral vision catches her attention and an idea pops into her mind, causing her to dart to her right sharply.

* * *

Santana hurriedly kicks open the gate to the backyard of the Evan's green maze and makes another sharp turn, headed right for the maze.

She'd never thought hanging out with the Fishy President of the Green Club would do her any good and now it's proving her wrong. Sam was indirectly saving both hers and Brittany's lives.

She made a mental note to thank him profusely as she pulls them into a sharp bend where they'd be concealed behind a tall wall of green leaves and colourful floral.

Then she thought, _if_ he was still alive, she'd thank him.

Santana peeks behind the wall before bending over to catch her breath when she sees no sign of the man, his beard or his spear.

"Sa-Santana, he had fa-fangs," Brittany speaks, and for the first time since they left the safety of their little opening, she realises just how terrified Brittany was.

The girl was practically shaking.

Santana's chest constricts at the paling blue eyes she sees searching her eyes for a source of comfort.

And Santana decides to give her just that.

Cupping Brittany's cheeks, she says yet again, although a little breathless this time, "Brittany, remember how I told you that you only need to look at me, listen to me and hold my hand and we'll be okay?"

Brittany nods her head.

"I wasn't lying. So, let's do that and get out of this together okay?"

"Together. We'll escape _Together_," Brittany makes sure to emphasise, "promise me," she says and lifts her arm up with the pinkie stuck up to the sky.

Santana's a little apprehensive, but hooks their pinkies together anyway.

"I promise."

Santana has kept all the promises they've made, but this time, her gut wrenches in a way that tells her that this promise, isn't one she can keep.

* * *

They thought that they've lost their chasers, but now that they were standing in the kitchen of Santana's house, backs pressed against the wall furtherest away from the window, they could hear several footsteps padding at the dirt path right outside the line of houses.

Santana knows where she wants to get them, but she doesn't know how to get there without getting noticed and as the footsteps got even closer, now sounding like it was right outside the house, checking if they were inside this one before they head to the next, she knows they've got to be as quiet as possible.

"Brittany, take off your shoes," she whispers, already tugging at the shoelaces of her own shoes.

Brittany doesn't question her orders and follows as Santana says, pulling off the shoe and placing it beside her.

Santana picks up both their shoes and ducks to the far end of the kitchen to place their shoes and hopefully throw their hunters off track. As she heads back, she motions for Brittany to head up the stairs, emphasising the fact that they should duck to prevent being seen from the window.

They get to the top of the staircase just as the front door begins to creak open and Santana gets into a frenzied state of panic.

They don't have much time left.

Hurriedly, they head to the room where Santana's father's incessant knocking had disturbed the tranquil of the dawn just the morning before.

Even from the door, Santana could feel the familiar heat wave radiating from the portion of the wall that looked nothing different from every other wall in the entire house. It calms her a little to know that it'll be unidentifiable to anyone else besides the Lopezs.

Her parents are safe. Now it's Brittany's turn to be safe.

She runs towards the wall and places her palm on it, brow creasing when it doesn't open. She scans the wall and the room, hoping to find any clues as to how this door would open.

"How do you open this thing," she whispers harshly against the wall.

"Open what?," Brittany couldn't help but ask.

"This wall. It's kind of like a secret compartment. If you hide in here, they'll never find you."

"They'll never find _us_. If _we_ hide in here they'll never fin-"

Before Brittany could finish her sentence, the wall begins to disfigure as if it was turning into a slab of molten metal, except this was molten wood instead.

Turns out, all you have to do was to focus all your heat energy towards the wall, allow the similar heat spell to recognise it and grant you access by... Melting the wall momentarily,

How _clichè_, yet so very ingenious.

She was proud to have a father like her own.

The staircase creaks and along with it comes a very nasal voice, "_Hey Girls_," the man, or woman, or whatever drawls, in a creepy way and it causes the hair at the back of Santana's neck to stand.

"_I'm on the first step_~"

"They're almost here Brittany, you've got to get in," Santana urges, grabbing Brittany's arms and pulling the girl to the wall.

But Brittany refuses to budge, her eyes no longer the only part wet with tears now that she was openly crying.

"Why do you keep talking as if I'm the only one getting in?" Brittany accuses, eyes trained on Santana as the girl struggles to come up with an excuse, an explanation or even a lie to get Brittany to enter the hiding place.

She remembers her father's words clear as day: the wall opens and closes immediately behind the person who gets in and the wall could only be open thrice and thrice only. With the amount of heat energy, Santana could tell that both her parents were inside and that meant that the compartment had been open twice. So this, would be the last.

It would either be Brittany or herself and nothing more.

In this game of either or, between the life of Brittany and her own, Santana didn't even have to spend a millisecond to debate and examine her choices, she'd choose Brittany in a heartbeat, and with every heartbeat after that.

She decides to give Brittany the truth.

"_Hey girls, I'm on the second step_~"

There were about ten steps up the staircase and ten steps is all she's left with to spend with Brittany.

Santana's lips are trembling with unshed tears when she runs her fingers through silky blonde hair and utters a soft, "Brittany."

Brittany just about broke at the way Santana uttered her name, fresh new tears beginning a new trail down her cheeks.

"_Hey girls~ I'm on the fourth step~_"

"Brittany Susanna Pierce," Santana says again, louder this time, relishing in the way Brittany's name sounded in her voice; revelling in the way her heart skipped a beat at the sound of the blonde's name.

Santana's hand reaches the side of Brittany's face and she wastes no time in running the pad of her thumb across defined cheekbones and under Brittany's shiny blue eyes.

"You're the most beautiful being ever to exist."

"Your eyes are my favourite shade of blue, your skin is my most favourite thing to touch and those lips," she looks down as she touches the soft pink skin, "are the best thing I've ever tasted."

"_Hey Girls~ I'm on the seventh step_~"

"You've made me feel like the most precious girl ever to exist ever since you met me and I'll never understand how one could be so perfect."

"I'm sorry it took so long for me to say this," she takes in a deep deep breath and feels it at the very centre of her heart when she says,

"_I love you_."

Brittany's face scrunches up even further as a sob escapes her clamped lips. "I love you too Santana, I'm not going anywhere without you."

Santana heaves a laboured breath and feels a warm tear trickle down her cheek.

Not wanting Brittany to remember her with tears, she elevates herself onto the tips of her toes and presses a hard, solid, unforgettable kiss to Brittany's lips.

"_Hey Girls~ I'm on the eighth step_~"

"If I had another chance, I'd want the whole world to know that I love you Brittany," Santana whispers onto Brittany's lips before shoving Brittany in the chest along with the dagger her father had given her with the inscription of her name engraved on it. This time it catches Brittany off guard and she loses her balance.

Brittany's now clinging onto Santana's arm as her heels fall over the edge of the hollow pit, the wall beginning to enclose around their connected arms.

"Take the dagger and protect yourself. Help me take care of Papi and Mami."

"Santana, no," the girl shakes her head vigorously, tightening her grip on Santana's arm as she begins to slip.

"_I can HEAR you girls_~" the person cackles.

Santana could hear how near the person was and she knew Brittany has to hide _now_, so she begins to pull her arm back, making sure Brittany's grip slides further down her arm.

"You said we'd be together! _Together_!"

Santana clamps her lids together, feeling a whole fountain of tears begin to roll down her cheeks as she shakes her head. She was right about the promise. It wasn't one she could keep.

"I love you, _so much_, don't ever forget that."

With that, Brittany's hand slips off and she falls backwards into the blackness as the wall closes completely.

* * *

When the person creeps into the room, Santana's in a daze with the other pair of the dagger clutched in her hand.

Even in her helpless daze, she couldn't help but feel the crippling fear crawling up her body at the sight of such a gruesome being.

The man was hunched over with hair that was pitch black covering half of his emaciated face and his teeth were a dark yellow. But what made Santana fear the most, was the crazy look in his eyes.

"_Hello you_," he says in the same nasal voice he'd been using, "_just in time for my lunch_," he sticks a tongue out of his Cheshire grin and advances towards the fear-stricken girl at a speed akin to that of a snail.

Just as he looked like he was about to pounce on Santana and devour her whole, another voice calls from the corridor and the creature immediately cowers.

What could be more gruesome than this... This abomination.

Apparently the most plastic looking man Santana had ever set her eyes on.

The man donned a dark purple suit and strutted into the room with an air of dominance.  
He had perfectly gelled brown hair, a sinister smirk and immaculate posture, everything about the man was perfect and a juxtaposition to Mr. Abomination at the corner. Everything was perfect and normal about the man except for his glowing purple eyes that seemed everything_ but_ humane.

It seemed to ignite her mind on fire as he caught and held her gaze, walking towards her relentlessly.

"Don't eat her. Where are your manners. We could sell her for a high high price," he speaks, enunciating his words.

Santana tries her best to move and put the dagger in her hand to good use, but the moment the man had walked in and captured her gaze, she no longer had control over her own body.

"But first," he was now towering over Santana with a finger raised, "we need to wipe her clean."

The man's smile widens, "My name's Jesse, but you won't remember me,"

Santana wants to protest, ask of him to eviscerate her instead, but as usual, she couldn't move.

"_or_ anything after this."

He presses a cold finger to her forehead.

At first it's just cold, then it begins to freeze and then, before her very eyes, she begins to see every second of her life, from the very second she was born to now. It flashes across her mind like a flickering movie clip.

As her vision begins to fade and her consciousness begins to slip away, all that she sees is a blonde teenager, with the shiniest of blue eyes, clutching a disfigured duck to her chest and looking her with a lop-sided grin.

_What was her name?_

Bri... Britt...

Her world fades to black.

* * *

There! Chapter 7! The story is back on track (:

I hope you enjoyed this although it's a little short.

Much Loves and hope you get the feels.


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